


Lion's Torment

by wolfandwild



Series: Lion of the Alliance [4]
Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft - Various Authors
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Male-Female Friendship, Romance, World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-10 23:05:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 91,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12922131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfandwild/pseuds/wolfandwild
Summary: Despite a rocky start, High King Varian Wrynn has finally captured the heart of Lunarfall's fierce Commander. However, even as the King and his young mage companion begin to explore their new relationship, the Warlords of Draenor move to crush the Alliance once and for all…





	1. Auriana

**Author's Note:**

> This work has previously been published on Fanfiction.net, though I'm currently in the process of cross-posting the entire series to AO3.
> 
> I intend to do some fairly major revisions and expansions to the series in future (particularly to the first two/three volumes), but for now this will have to do!

The air was thick with the scent of blood and iron as Auriana Fenwild cast her gaze out over Bladefury's Command. After the Burning Blade had attacked Lunarfall Garrison and stolen the Heart of Gorgorek, they had fled to the orcish fortress with the newly woken magnaron in tow. It had been two weeks since Bladefury's assault on Lunarfall, though Auriana's anger had not yet abated. She had no intention of letting Azuka Bladefury escape with her prize unpunished, and so she had rallied the might of Lunarfall to northern Talador to exact vengeance and halt the threat of the magnaron.

On Auriana's left, her bodyguard Delvar Ironfist was practically frothing at the mouth, so eager was he to throw himself into the battle raging below. Her other companion, Lieutenant Barrett Gale, stood on her right, his eyes narrowed in concentration. The three soldiers stood on a small rise overlooking the Command, where the battle between the Alliance forces and the Burning Blade had begun in earnest. If she had turned her head to the right, Auriana would have seen the forbidding gates of Tanaan Jungle, where the bulk of the Iron Horde armies now hid. Behind her, a Lunarfall gryphon stamped its feet impatiently, as eager as Ironfist or Gale for the fight.

Normally, Auriana would have been right in the thick of it, leading the charge against the Bladefury herself, but there were tactical concerns that needed to be addressed before she entered the fray. Firstly, and perhaps most worryingly, the Burning Blade had control of the great magnaron Gorgorek, an ancient molten stone giant. Secondly, they were led by the fierce warlord Azuka Bladefury, who had proven to be a clever and determined opponent in the past.

Auriana also had a personal score to settle with Azuka. She was still furious over Azuka's audacious attack on the heart of Lunarfall itself, and Auriana wouldn't be satisfied until the orc warlord's head no longer rested upon her shoulders. Lunarfall Garrison was Auriana's home on Draenor, and she loved it dearly. She could think of no greater insult than for the Burning Blade to invade her home and slaughter her men, and today she was determined to take her revenge.

"Our first priority is the magnaron," Auriana said, brushing her hair back from her face thoughtfully. "Gale, take Ironfist and have our men start moving forwards to flank Gorgorek."

"Yes ma'am! May I ask where you'll be fighting, Commander?" Gale asked curiously.

"I'm going to give you some air support," she said, nodding pointedly at the gryphon behind her. "I've got a few surprises in store for our new friend Gorgorek, but I need you in position to push in as soon as we've weakened his defenses."

Gale nodding, needing no further encouragement to join in the fight, and sprinted off down the hill to join the fight. Ironfist, on the other hand, hesitated for a moment, folding his arms across his barrel chest.

"I'm not going with ye?" the death knight asked, his raspy voice stern.

"No," Auriana said firmly. "I'll be relatively safe in the air, and I need you on the ground. I would have thought that you would have been waiting for such a challenge."

"My first job is always to keep ye safe, Commander," Ironfist growled.

"I'll be fine," she assured him, though his concern was touching. "Get going."

Ironfist frowned, but did as he was asked, leaping off down the hill after Gale. Auriana smiled ever so slightly as she watched him go. Death knights weren't exactly known for their expressiveness, and she knew Ironfist was driven by a singular need to serve the Alliance. He cared not for things like money or prestige, only victory and the thrill of battle, and Auriana was secretly pleased that he considered her of enough importance to the Alliance to defend so staunchly.

As Ironfist and Gale were swept up in the furious battle, Auriana turned her attention to the gryphon, a handsome garrison buck named Brightfeather. Although much more comfortable with two feet on the ground, Auriana was nonetheless a capable rider in the air. She did not usually deploy with the garrison gryphon riders, but she had a particular plan in mind for Gorgorek, and wanted to be in prime position for its execution.

"Shall we, boy?" she murmured quietly to Brightfeather, as she patted his sharp beak in passing.

The gryphon trilled happily as she mounted up, shifting his weight restively as he waited for her to get settled in the harness. Once ready, Auriana heeled the beast forwards, and he leapt easily into the air. For such a large animal, Auriana's weight was as nothing, and Brightfeather ascended rapidly into the bright midday sky. Auriana whistled sharply as she flew, and she was soon joined by at least two dozen other riders, each mounted on their own magnificent gryphons.

Each rider had been equipped with a forbidding arsenal of heavy bombs. Auriana herself carried no such weaponry, instead relying on her magic for equivalent firepower. She intended to hit the magnaron Gorgorek as hard as she could from the air, weakening the giant enough for her ground troops to put him down.

Brightfeather flew swiftly at the head of the gryphon pack, propelled by the powerful downbeat of his wings. He was an experienced war gryphon, and he neatly dodged the hail of arrows that arose to greet them without so much as a touch to his side. For her part, Auriana simply held on, looking forward intently to where Gorgorek awaited. From her vantage point in the air, she could see the majority of the Alliance forces closing on the magnaron's position, and she was determined to provide them with as soft a target as possible.

"For Lunarfall!" she screamed into the wind, as Brightfeather flattened his wings and dived.

Up close, Gorgorek was absolutely huge, and Auriana genuinely feared that her combined force would not be able to bring the giant down. She shook her head a second later, however, refusing to entertain such thoughts. The Alliance were strong and well equipped, and she needed to have faith that they would prevail.

As Brightfeather reached the nadir of his dive, Auriana unleashed her magic, and dropped a frost bomb of terrible power on the magnaron's head. Behind her, the other gryphon riders released their own explosives. There was a brief, breathless pause as the bombs fell through the air, before they impacted the magnaron's shoulders and detonated hard. Chunks of rocky flesh flew everywhere as Gorgorek bellowed in pain and fury, turning his single glowing eye skywards. The stone giant appeared somewhat confused by the small, flying annoyances now circling his head, but there was no denying the sheer rage in his gaze.

It was hard not to get caught up in the thrill of the fight as Brightfeather banked left and shot straight back up into the air, preparing for a second attack run. Auriana felt her heart leap as the wind rushed through her hair, and she channelled her eager bloodlust into her magic. She cast with abandon, raining frost bomb after frost bomb down upon the ancient magnaron with every pass.

From the corner of her eye, Auriana saw a number of gryphons fall to the Iron Horde arrows. Fortunately, however, the majority of the air assault were intact, and they harried Gorgorek with everything they had. The magnaron had sustained serious damage to his back and shoulders, and Auriana could see her ground troops tentatively move forwards, even as the Burning Blade orcs moved forward to defend the captive magnaron.

As Auriana steered Brightfeather into a fourth pass, Gorgorek unexpectedly leapt straight up, flailing his giant fists at the gryphons that plagued him. The gryphon immediately to Auriana's left took the brunt of the attack, both beast and rider disappearing in a suddenly spray of blood and feathers. Brightfeather reacted more swiftly, but he was unable to avoid Gorgorek's fists completely, and together he and Auriana went plunging towards the ground.

For a moment, Auriana saw nothing but a blur of sky, stone, and dirt as she and Brightfeather tumbled through the air. Somehow, she managed to right the gryphon just before he hit the ground. She threw herself free from the harness as Brightfeather impacted the dirt, rolling to the side to avoid being crushed by the beast's bulk. She sprang to her feet immediately, brushing grit from her eyes as she called on her magic. Auriana tasted blood, and her bones were thoroughly rattled from the fall, but it seemed as if she had escaped any real damage.

Brightfeather, it seemed, was also largely unharmed. The big gryphon shook his head as he staggered back to his feet, but he snapped viciously at any orc that dared to get close. Auriana took full advantage of the nearby orc warriors' unwillingness to get within range of Brightfeather's savage beak and claws, and obliterated them with a mere wave of her hand. Her blood ran hot, and there was little the orc peons could do to stop her as she strode into the fight with Gorgorek.

"Get out of here," she told Brightfeather as she passed, slapping the beast firmly on the flank.

War gryphons were valuable commodities, and Auriana wouldn't risk them unnecessarily. Brightfeather had done his part, as had the other gryphons and their riders, but now it was time for her ground troops to earn their keep. Brightfeather let out a sharp cry, but he was well trained, and he leapt back into the sky at her command. Now wary of Gorgorek's fists, he dodged to the left as he rose, and was soon winging his way back towards the Alliance staging area.

Satisfied that her gryphon companion was now safe, Auriana charged forwards, hurling ice from her fingers as she ran. She caught sight Gale fighting at the vanguard, his twin blades flashing in the bright sun as he danced around the wildly flailing magnaron. Auriana winced as he barely ducked under a particularly powerful blow, and she silently ordered him to be more careful.

From the ground, the damage to Gorgorek was much more apparent. Her troops had harried the magnaron relentlessly, taking full advantage of the opportunity provided by the air support. Auriana now added her own considerable power into the mix, simultaneously blasting Gorgorek with ice and shielding her men from both the magnaron and the Iron Horde. Even a month ago, Auriana would not have considered herself capable of splitting her magical focus so skilfully, but she had been working hard on her magic as of late. She had spent nearly every day over the last two weeks in Dalaran at the request of the Archmage Jaina Proudmoore, learning how to control both her wild magic and the reckless fury that hid in her veins. Auriana had never really cared much for studying intricate, advanced magic, but she had to admit that what she had learned from Jaina thus far had improved her already formidable combat skills considerably.

Despite the power and savagery of the Alliance assault, the ancient magnaron was not so easily cowed. Gorgorek still had a significant advantage in both size and strength, and he fought with a renewed desperation as his great stone shoulders crumbled around him. He swung a mighty fist back once more, and several of the Alliance soldiers were flung into the fortress wall. Auriana heard them hit the stone with a series of sickening cracks, and she knew instantly that these men were unlikely to move again.

"Bring him down!" she hollered, her presence spurring her men to greater efforts.

Auriana lost herself in her casting, staying safely out of the magnaron's reach as she worked. Most of her attention was focused not on Gorgorek, but rather on the seemingly endless stream of Burning Blade orcs that came to defend the magnaron. Auriana used her magic to set up a kind of choke point, where the orcs could not risk attacking the Alliance men who assaulted Gorgorek without having to wade through a whirling storm of ice and death.

Auriana could feel weariness creeping into her bones as she fought on, and she knew that she would be unable to maintain this kind of intensity in her casting forever. She was both fit and powerful, but not even the most powerful of mages could spellcast indefinitely. Auriana saw a similar weariness in her men, and she frowned in concern. Gorgorek was an important target, but even once he fell, there was still an entire fortress of orcs bearing down upon the soldiers of Lunarfall.

As several more of her men fell to the pounding fists of the magnaron, Auriana grew more concerned, though she wondered how much more punishment the beast could possibly take. His left shoulder was completely ruined, and both the creature's legs had been hacked apart brutally by the Alliance forces. His slab face had been badly burned and damaged by the falling bombs, and for a moment Auriana felt a sense of pity for the magnaron. He had been used against his will by the Burning Blade, and Auriana regretted that slaughtering the ancient beast was necessary.

Her silent question in regards to the magnaron's strength was answered mere moments later by a gleeful shout from Lieutenant Gale.

"Get back!" he yelled. "It's coming down!"

Heeding Gale's warning, Auriana blinked away, not taking her eyes off her work as the magnaron howled and tumbled forward onto its knees. The Alliance leapt to attack with renewed vigour, swarming up Gorgorek's sides to beat at his head with a variety of swords, axes, and maces. Gorgorek let out a mournful sigh as he made one last valiant attempt to throw the Alliance off, before he shuddered and lay suddenly still.

Auriana heard a cry of unbridled fury from above as the magnaron expired, drowning out even the shout of victory from the Alliance. She looked up, and locked eyes with an orc that could only be Azuka Bladefury, warlord of the Burning Blade. Azuka stood on the edge of one of the upper terraces, desperately clutching her fearsome blade.

" _You_!" the warchief cried, her face contorting in an ugly snarl. "You will pay for what you have done to my magnaron. I will drink your  _blood_  and feed your mangled corpse to the dogs! You will regret ever coming here!"

Auriana stared up at Azuka calmly, though inside she spoiled for the fight. With Gorgorek dead, the only thing that stood between Auriana and her vengeance was the warchief herself.

"I doubt it, though I'm willing to fight if you are," Auriana challenged. "However, you must promise not to run away this time. I thought you were a warchief, not a cowardly whelp all too ready to turn your tail and run."

Despite the distance between them, Auriana could practically hear Azuka gnash her teeth in fury, and she grinned in savage satisfaction.

"I am no coward!" Azuka screamed. "Come up here and face me, mage, and we shall see who is the greater warrior..."


	2. Auriana

Lieutenant Gale stepped over and came to stand beside Auriana, though his piercing gaze was fixed firmly on Azuka Bladefury. His face was fixed in a furious snarl, and Auriana was starkly reminded that she was not the only one who had been angered by the Burning Blade's incursion at Lunarfall.

"You're not really going to go up there, are you?" he asked her. "What if it's a trap?'

"If she wants a duel, I'm more than happy to oblige her," Auriana said viciously.

She looked over her shoulder, to where the Alliance troops were chasing away the last of the orc forces on the lower terrace. Most of the orcs had fled for the relative safety of the higher tiers, where Azuka Bladefury now paced like a caged animal as she awaited Auriana's challenge.

"Besides, if it is a trap, surely I can count on you to rescue me?" she asked, grinning.

"Of course," Gale said roguishly. "Still… I'm not sure I like the idea of you up there alone, Commander."

"I won't be alone," Auriana said firmly. "Have the men press the attack down here, and box the Horde in between the lower fortress and the Tanaan gate. Send a few squads up around that path to the left. If Azuka decides to play dirty, they'll be in a good position to protect me."

She bit her lip thoughtfully.

"When I kill Azuka, her forces should break and run, but if they don't, be prepared to rush my position," she ordered.

Gale nodded, and some of the concern left his face. He pointed to her left shoulder.

"I'd take that off, if I were you," he said lightly.

Auriana turned her head, and with some dismay she noted that her left pauldron had been caved in by her fall from the gryphon. It was completely ruined, but in the heightened intensity of the fight against the magnaron, she hadn't even noticed. Auriana swung her arm back and forth a few times, and found that the crushed pauldron did indeed restrict her movement, and she reluctantly removed it. She moved her arm once more, more freely this time, though she realised that it was probably badly bruised. Auriana didn't really feel much pain at all, given that she was currently in the heat of battle, but she knew she would likely pay the price for it the following day.

She tossed the useless piece of armour aside, and freed her spellblade from her belt.

"Wish me luck," she muttered, as she turned to stride up the hill towards Azuka Bladefury.

"If anyone needs luck, it's that Horde harpy," Gale called back confidently. "She's the one who has to deal with _you_."

* * *

Auriana walked slowly forwards, her eyes carefully fix on the warlord that awaited her at the top of the hill. There were still sounds of fighting on both sides of the path, but the way to Azuka was largely clear. In fact, it was almost eerily silent in Auriana's immediate vicinity, a line of orcs watching her intently as she made her way upwards. It seemed that Azuka had ordered her orcs to leave Auriana alone so that the warlord might engage her in single combat. Auriana wondered how well the orcs would follow orders with the temptation of an Alliance Commander standing right in front of them, and she quietly prepared to defend herself if necessary.

Admittedly, if Auriana were being honest with herself, engaging in single combat with Azuka was probably a foolhardy decision, but she wanted very badly to put the orc warlord in her place. She knew it was probably a case of putting her own desire to punish Azuka ahead of her ultimate responsibility as a Commander, but as she looked up at Azuka's savage, smirking face, Auriana decided she didn't really care.

"So. You have decided to face me," Azuka snarled triumphantly as Auriana warily approached. "You will regret your decision."

The orc warlord was standing in the centre of a wide circle of dirt. Although not actually a duelling arena, it would serve its purpose well enough. The makeshift arena was also ringed by a number of orcs, all who stared down Auriana with dark and savage eyes.

"Azuka, if you surrender to me now I will order my men to stand down. No more of your orcs need to die," Auriana said calmly, belying the sudden fluttering of her heart as her adrenaline surged. "Even you must understand that we have the superior force. Your magnaron is dead. You have nothing with which to resist me."

"The Iron Horde does not surrender," Azuka hissed. "I will have the pleasure of defeating you myself."

Auriana looked pointedly at the circle of orcs.

"I have your word that they won't attack?" she asked, though realistically Azuka's word meant little.

"This is between you and me, Commander. I don't need an army to kill you," she spat.

"We'll see," Auriana said, dropping into a fighting stance with her dagger raised defensively.

Auriana knew she couldn't engage Azuka directly, not with the blademaster's giant sword in play. While Auriana was skilled with her long dagger, the blade was not enough to block a proper swing from a greatsword. When facing off against blade users, Auriana tactically prioritised fast movement and the ability to harass her opponent from range. While strong for her size, Auriana was always at a disadvantage if she allowed an opponent to get close. Against Azuka, Auriana would have to stay far out of her reach, and never give Azuka the chance to use her superior weapon skills.

With a feral cry, Azuka launched herself suddenly forward, only to stumble to the side as she ran head on into a frostbolt. The orc warlord was fortunate that she wore high quality armour, for without it she would have been dead before the fight began. Auriana's eyes narrowed in satisfaction as she readied a second spell. She knew she had a significant advantage over Azuka, as she had learnt in their last duel. Azuka had been trained to fight other opponents with swords, and she was clearly unused to having to fight casters. Nevertheless, it appeared she had learned something from the last time she and Auriana had fought, and after her first unsuccessful charge she seemed to gather herself and adopt a more measured approach.

The crowd of orcs roared as the two women began to fight in earnest, and Auriana felt as if she really were in a gladiatorial arena. Her thoughts briefly drifted to Varian Wrynn, only to have a quick dash of Azuka's bring her back to reality. They fought back and forth for some time, Azuka trying to close on Auriana, while Auriana used her considerable arsenal of spells to keep the warlord at bay. Auriana watched the point of the blademaster's wicked sword very carefully, dancing back whenever the warlord got too close. Azuka was not unskilled, however, and she managed to land a couple of superficial cuts, though these were largely mitigated by Auriana's armour.

To a certain degree, Auriana was toying with the warlord, wanting to humiliate and punish her before going to the final kill. Lost in her surging power and pride, she charged up an exceptionally powerful spell and hurled it at Azuka. The spell raced towards the Burning Blade warlord in a blur of blue and white. Much to Auriana's surprise, however, Azuka dashed left and forwards with surprising alacrity, dodging the brutal frostbolt. In Auriana's brief moment of overconfidence, Azuka was suddenly within range to land a powerful strike. Auriana spun, managing to catch the blow against her still-protected right shoulder. The armour held, stopping the blade from reaching her skin, but it was swung with such force that Auriana's entire right arm when numb.

Sensing her advantage, Azuka drew back for a second strike. Desperately, Auriana cast a powerful blast wave that sent Azuka flying across the arena, though it also had the unfortunate effect of sending Auriana spinning in the opposite direction. She hit the ground in a spray of dirt, choking on the dusty cloud kicked up by her fall.

Her right arm hanging uselessly, Auriana hastily scrambled to her feet. She swore, blinking grit from her eyes. In her desire to cause as much pain to Azuka as possible, she had allowed the fight to go on for far too long. Her right arm had gone dead, and left arm still smarted from her earlier fall from the gryphon. As a mage, she wasn't as reliant on her arms as a warrior or a rogue might have been, but her pain and mounting fatigue were nonetheless problematic.

Auriana shook her head, deciding it was high time she finished the fight. She elected to change her strategy, and in a split second she had blinked forwards so that she was practically face to face with Azuka. The warlord was thoroughly thrown by the unexpected move, having been so used to Auriana trying to keep her distance. Auriana took full advantage of Azuka's surprise, thrusting her dagger sideways and pushing it hard into the crook of the warlord's arm.

Azuka screamed and reflexively opened her hand, sending her greatsword tumbling towards the ground. With her other hand, Auriana grabbed Azuka by the neck and squeezed with all her strength. As she did, she channelled all the power she had left, her hot fury contrasting with the icy burn that engulfed her hand. Auriana gritted her teeth against her own chill grip, but for Azuka it far worse. Her fingers scrabbled wildly against Auriana's chest and neck as her entire throat was iced over and the blood froze in her veins.

Auriana held on doggedly, though she knew she wouldn't have to do so for long. The warlord's desperate struggles rapidly faded, and soon Auriana held nothing but the lifeless husk of the once proud warlord. Releasing her magic with a long sigh, Auriana threw Azuka's corpse roughly to the side. It hit the ground with a dull thud, the former warlord's lower jaw and throat entirely encased in about three inches of pure ice. Her dying expression was startled, as if she still couldn't quite believe that she had lost.

Turning away from the fallen warlord, Auriana fixed her pitiless gaze on the Burning Blade orcs. Many of them were howling in dismay at Azuka's demise, and not a few of them had unsheathed their weapons. Auriana was exhausted from her fight with Azuka, but she had no intention of allowing the orcs to see her fatigue. Her hands crackled with raw power as she summoned two great water elementals, and she lifted her chin imperiously.

" _Run_ ," she hissed.

Two large orcs decided to ignore her warning, and charged at her instead. Unlike Azuka, they had learned nothing from watching Auriana fight, and neither wore the same ensorcelled armour that had prolonged the warlord's existence. Auriana summoned a phenomenal burst of power and simply blasted one orc from existence as her two elementals savaged the second orc. Auriana added her own power to the mix, and no time at all, another corpse lay at her feet.

She looked furiously up at the remaining orcs.

"What did I just say?" she asked them.

As she spoke, Auriana heard a wild cry from her left as three squadrons of Lunarfall soldiers charged into the open. They entered the fray immediately, swarming to protect their Commander and cutting down any orcs that refused to flee before the tide. The Burning Blade were soon in full retreat, sprinting for the solace of the great Tanaan gate. It appeared that any grand strategy or organisation had died with Azuka, and the Alliance forces relentlessly pressed their advantage.

Auriana didn't follow the charge, instead ducking her head in weariness. She had done her part, and she knew her men were more than capable of cleaning up the fight without her. She listened to the sounds of the battle with half an ear, only lifting her head when Lieutenant Gale approached from behind. His tunic was torn and bloody, but he seemed perfectly healthy. Certainly, he seemed very happy broadly, his powerful jaw line split in a wide grin.

"Congratulations, Commander," he said, pushing Azuka's corpse with his foot. "I'm pleased to say we've got them on the run."

"Good," Auriana said idly, wincing as she touched her hand to her right shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Gale asked, placing a hand on her back in concern.

"Nothing life threatening," Auriana said. "Though I wouldn't say that I'm comfortable."

"I think we can do something about that," he said reassuringly.

Gale waved and called out for a healer, and in no time at all a young priest was hard at work on Auriana's damaged shoulders and the fingernail scratches around her neck. She sighed in welcome relief as the healing energy flowed into her, twitching her fingers as some of the feeling returned to her right hand. The healer worked quickly, and soon Auriana felt as if she could go another ten rounds with Azuka. Auriana had been in enough battles to know that she'd probably still be sore in the morning, but for now she felt considerably refreshed.

"You'll have to avoid lifting anything heavy for a few days, Commander," the priest said, stepping back and allowing the glow of the Light to fade from his hands. "But otherwise you seem fine."

"I'll do my best," Auriana said warmly, offering the priest a broad smile. "Thank you."

The priest nodded in gratitude as he was dismissed, running back to join the main fighting force. Gale, however, stayed by Auriana's side as she bent down and lifted Azuka's fallen blade from the ground. The greatsword really was a thing of great beauty, no matter who its former owner had been. Its hilt was inscribed with a series of glowing runes marking the blade's name.

"Sa... er… Sanketsu," Auriana read out loud, though she had no idea how the sword's name might translate into common.

"It really is a magnificent blade," Gale observed.

"It's yours, if you want it," Auriana said, holding it towards him. "I have no use for a greatsword."

"I appreciate the offer, Commander, but my philosophy has always been: why carry one sword when you can carry two?" he said, grinning.

Auriana smiled back, shrugging.

"As you wish," she said lightly. "I'm sure I can -"

She was suddenly cut off by the sound of a ferocious war horn, and a great cry from Lunarfall's defenders. Auriana looked up with a start, and turned her gaze back towards Tanaan Jungle. It appeared that the Alliance had successfully routed the Burning Blade, and the remaining orcs were now fleeing for the jungle.

The gates guarding Tanaan were impressive things, easily forty foot high. They had been opened just enough to let the Burning Blade through, with a number of Iron Horde orcs covering the escape. Auriana's men had strict orders not to follow the orcs into Tanaan Jungle, less they come across the bulk of the Iron Horde forces. It appeared that her men were reforming ranks, however, beating their shields and yelling fearsomely at the gates. Auriana was suddenly concerned that the thrill of the victory would override her orders, and she made to move towards the front lines.

"Come on," she said to Gale, lifting Sanketsu. "Let's see what all the fuss is about."

Together, the Commander and Lieutenant walked to the top of the hill and moved through the crowd, until they stood ahead of the Alliance shield line. It didn't take long for Auriana to see what had stirred the passions of Lunarfall's forces. To her complete surprise, Grommash Hellscream himself stood at the gates of Tanaan, his face twisting in an ugly snarl as he watched the Burning Blade flee. Their eyes met, and she saw the elder Hellscream start in recognition.

Auriana's men fell silent as she and Hellscream stared each other down, each the picture of implacable fury. The Warchief of the Iron Horde was an undeniably impressive orc, with his rich brown skin and heavy musculature. He flexed menacingly, though Auriana refused to be cowed by his appearance. Instead, she walked several paces forward and thrust Sanketsu pointedly into the ground, her eyes glinting with the unspoken threat.

 _You're next_.

The simple action conveyed Auriana's message perfectly, and she didn't miss the way Hellscream's hands tightened on his weapon. The Alliance roared their approval, and Auriana allowed herself a small smirk. Part of her wanted to charge out and fight the Warchief right now, but she knew it would likely end in disaster. She was tired from a long day of fighting, as were her men, and she knew Hellscream housed considerable forces within his stronghold in Tanaan. Instead, she swallowed her bloodlust and turned away dismissively, ignoring Hellscream with supreme disdain. She heard him snarl from behind her, but she gave him as much attention as she might have given a fly.

Both Lieutenant Gale and Delvar Ironfist walked towards her, meeting her halfway between the Alliance lines and where she had placed Sanketsu. A great rumbling sound drowned out any chance of conversation as the gates of Tanaan were closed, and when Auriana turned her head once more, Grommash Hellscream was gone.

"We captured a number o' Iron Horde attemptin' to flee the battle," Ironfist reported, as silence fell once more. "The rest made it back ter Tanaan, but the day is ours."

"Bring me one of the prisoners," Auriana said coldly. "Execute the rest."

Lieutenant Gale raised his eyebrows at her harsh orders, but neither he nor Ironfist questioned her decision. Auriana was not typically so ruthless, but she was quite simply _tired_ , and she had lost what little patience she had for Iron Horde warmongering. These orcs were among those who had attacked Lunarfall, among those who had attacked her _home_ , and Auriana found she cared little for their fates.

Ironfist soon dragged forwards a prisoner, as she had requested. The death knight had chosen a young male orc, so young that this might have been his very first battle. The orc's mouth was bloody from where one of his tusks had been snapped out, though he bellowed bravely as he was brought on his knees before Auriana.

"I will tell you _nothing_ , human bitch," the orc snarled, staring up at her with hate filled eyes.

"I don't want you to talk," Auriana said quietly. "I just want you to listen."

She caught his face in her hand, and forced him to meet her gaze.

"I'm going to let you run, orc," she told him. "You will run straight back to Garrosh Hellscream like the good little dog that you are, and you will repeat this message."

As she spoke, she augmented her words with her power. Glittering frost coalesced at her fingers, and soon the orc was writhing in pain beneath her fingers. His previously defiant eyes clouded with fear.

"Look around at the destruction my men have bought on the Burning Blade. You have seen the might of the Alliance this day, and the price of the Iron Horde's continued defiance," she threatened. "You tell Grom Hellscream this - I'm going to kill Blackhand, and then I'm coming after him. Grom can cower in Tanaan Jungle all he likes, but he should start counting his days on this earth. Lunarfall is coming, and I promise you, we will not be merciful. Everything the Iron Horde have suffered so far will be as a dream compared to the hell that I intend to rain down upon him."

Auriana stepped back, releasing her grip on the orc's half-toothed maw.

"Let him go," she ordered the Alliance officers holding the orc fast. "Run back to your Warchief, orc, and see that he gets my message."

The orc bolted as soon as he was free, sprinting for the Tanaan gate with all haste. Auriana didn't miss the pure terror in his eyes as the young orc ran, and she grunted in satisfaction. She wasn't usually one for threats, but in this case she felt it appropriate.

"Pull our men back to the staging ground, and then begin sending troops back to Lunarfall," she ordered, once the orc was well gone. "Wounded first, as usual. I'd like to leave a squad behind, just to keep an eye on the area. Now that we've secured northern Talador, we can keep a close eye on that gate. I won't have us unprepared should Hellscream decide to launch an assault."

Ironfist nodded and went to work immediately, though Lieutenant Gale stayed with Auriana as she collected Sanketsu, before making her way slowly down the hill.

"Commander..." Gale started, evidently surprised by her ruthlessness. "That was some threat."

"They attacked Lunarfall," Auriana said shortly. "They deserve what they get."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Commander," Gale said, grinning as they fell into lock step. "I quite like you when you're… aggressive. The predatory look suits you."

"Excuse me, Lieutenant?" Auriana said, ever so slightly emphasising his title.

"Er… no offense intended, Commander," Gale said hurriedly, though he seemed generally unconcerned with his lack of impropriety. "Although… I was would wondering if you might join me for a victory drink in my quarters this evening?"

Auriana blinked.

 _Is he_ flirting _with me_? she wondered.

She wasn't very skilled at reading other people, but Gale's confident smile and the tilt of his brow were something of a giveaway. Relationships among soldiers in the Alliance weren't encouraged, but nor were they expressly forbidden. It wasn't unheard of for two soldiers to enter into a relationship, though it was less common amongst senior and junior officers. Auriana was a by the book soldier in many respects, and she would have turned Gale down on the basis of their command relationship alone.

Of course, she also wasn't interested in a relationship with the Lieutenant, either. He was a good looking man, and his sudden attention was admittedly flattering, but he couldn't possibly compare to the King of Stormwind.

"Er… thank you for the offer," Auriana said awkwardly. "But I need to be back in Stormwind tonight."

Gale peered at her carefully, and Auriana blushed under his gaze. There was a long moment of uncomfortable silence between them.

"Ah, my apologies, Commander," Gale said finally, straightening to his full height. "Who is the lucky man?"

"Excuse me?" she snapped, stopping abruptly. "What makes you think I'm involved with someone?"

For a heart stopping second, Auriana wondered if her new, covert relationship with the King of Stormwind had been discovered, until she realised that Gale's suspicions were not quite so specific.

"Well, it's not exactly a secret that you return to Stormwind an awful lot," Gale said. "Er… Commander. I… well, most of us, really, suspected that you might have had someone… special… back home."

"Most of you?"

"Most of… of the men," Gale said slowly, realising far too late that he had backed himself into a corner and earned her ire.

"I wasn't aware that my personal life was the topic of garrison gossip," Auriana said, her voice clipped.

Gale at least had the good manners to look abashed as he mumbled something that might have been an apology.

"Why I return to Stormwind frequently is none of your business," she reminded him firmly, "But if you must know, I have been studying advanced magical theory. My studies demand that I spend time in both Stormwind and Dalaran. It is not ideal, perhaps, that I must spend time away from the garrison, but it is in all of our best interests that I am able to fight to the best of my ability."

It wasn't entirely a lie, though Auriana's stomach twinged slightly at her dishonesty. She was spending time in Dalaran and Stormwind to further her studies, but it certainly wasn't the only reason why she had been returning to the human capital so frequently. Not, of course, that Gale needed to know anything about _that_. She wasn't angry at the gossip, precisely, but she knew she needed to firmly quell any rumours if she had any chance of keeping her relationship private.

"Yes, Commander," Gale said. "I… we should have suspected your travel was in an official capacity."

"Lieutenant Gale," she continued, "I would prefer it if these rumours would cease, if you take my meaning?"

"Of course, Commander," Gale said crisply. "I do apologise."

Auriana gave him a final stern look, but she softened her glare with a slight nod. She hefted Sanketsu over her shoulder as she split the air into a wide, glowing portal, and stepped through without another word.


	3. Auriana

Despite the impression she may have given to Gale, Auriana didn't actually return straight to Stormwind. Varian wasn't expecting her until much later, and so she decided to teleport directly to Lunarfall to oversee the returning troops. She could have stayed to coordinate the fall back from the Talador side, but she hadn't wanted to continue her conversation with Gale. Moreover, she was quite frankly  _tired_ , despite the healing she had received, and she wanted to go home.

It was late in the afternoon when Auriana exited the portal at the centre of Lunarfall. The fading afternoon light gave the garrison a pleasant golden glow, and the air was pleasantly cool and crisp. Some of the wounded were already filing through portals of their own, and Auriana was pleased to see that the fight in Bladefury Fortress had largely been a rout. Many soldiers waved or called out as she passed, and Auriana acknowledged each of them with a nod or a smile.

Morale had been surprisingly high in the garrison lately, despite the invasion, and Auriana wondered if her own good mood had been catching. For the first time since Theramore, perhaps even since the Cataclysm, Auriana had been reminded that life could be  _fun_. Despite her initial reservations, her fledgling relationship with Varian Wrynn had proven to be a source of genuine wonder and joy. Auriana realised that she had forgotten precisely what she was fighting  _for_ , and in the remembering she had found herself suffused with a new energy.

Auriana made her way straight to the town hall to seek her second. If there were one person who had not had high morale of late, it was Lieutenant Thorn. As expected, Thorn was hard at work, sitting behind her desk in her worgen form. Auriana hadn't seen the Lieutenant in her human form since the Burning Blade invasion, and she wondered if she ever would again. Thorn had never been especially jocular, but now it seemed as if all sense of humour or lightness had abandoned her.

"Welcome back, Commander," Thorn said, immediately rising to her feet as Auriana entered the room. "Was the assault successful?"

There was a quiet urgency to Thorn's tone that belied her calm visage, and Auriana was strongly reminded that this victory meant more to Thorn than most others.

"Yes," Auriana confirmed, smiling grimly. "Azuka Bladefury is dead by my hand, and the Burning Blade are on the run. The others have just started to return, but I wanted to get back as soon as possible."

"What happened to your armour?" Thorn asked, nodding to Auriana's missing left shoulder plate and the giant rend that marred her right.

"I had a bad day for shoulders," Auriana admitted.

She unclipped the right plate as she spoke, and placed it down on Thorn's desk.

"Unfortunately, it looks like I'll have to get a new set made," Auriana said ruefully.

It was a small thing, perhaps, but Auriana felt a physical pang as she looked down at the ruined pauldron. Her armour had been so much a part of her for so long, that she felt almost like she was losing a friend. It could be fixed, but Auriana felt a keen sense of loss nonetheless.

"What happened?" Thorn asked curiously.

"I fell off a gryphon, and then Azuka tried to cut my head off," Auriana said. "Just another lovely day in Draenor."

Lieutenant Thorn didn't smile, of course, but Auriana thought she saw the worgen's dark muzzle twitch. Auriana then held out Azuka's sword, hilt first, towards Lieutenant Thorn. A kill trophy was a poor replacement for what Lieutenant Thorn had lost, but Auriana thought it important to show her that Baros Alexston had been avenged.

"I thought you might like this," Auriana said hesitantly, hoping she had not made a grave miscalculation in offering the sword to Thorn.

Thorn's eyes widened. She took the sword slowly, lifting the heavy blade up to the light.

"I… I can't accept this, Commander," she said. "This is a considerable prize, and one that is yours by right of conquest."

"I have no need for a sword," Auriana said, echoing her earlier words to Gale. "But I think you have need of a reminder that the Iron Horde can be beaten."

Thorn did not immediately reply, staring down at the Blade in her hands. Auriana thought she saw a shine to the worgen woman's dark eyes, but she convinced herself it was a trick of the light.

"I know it's not… well, I know it doesn't change anything, but… it's something, at least…" Auriana tried.

"Thank you," Thorn said finally, her husky voice catching as she placed the blade reverentially on her desk.

Auriana nodded, but remained silent, allowing Thorn time to gather her thoughts. It took some time, but eventually Thorn cleared her throat and spoke.

"Is… is there anything you'd like me to do, Commander?"

"Not immediately," Auriana said. "I've been pushing the garrison hard of late, and I think you've all earned the right to stand down for a couple of days. I'd like to start moving more troops into Gorgrond in preparation for an assault on Blackrock Foundry, but with the fall of Bladefury's Command we can afford to take our time. We've been fighting hard over the last couple of months, and I don't want to risk burnout amongst the troops."

Thorn nodded her agreement.

"As you wish, Commander," she said. "Should I also assume that you will return to Stormwind tonight?"

The question was asked innocently enough, but Auriana was already sensitive from her conversation with Gale, and she rankled nonetheless.

"Are my travel habits the only thing worth discussing in this garrison?" she snapped, more peevishly than she had intended.

"I apologise, Commander," Thorn said stiffly, her back straightening as she fell back on formality. "I only wished to know so that I might contact you if necessary."

Auriana sighed and deflated immediately, knowing Thorn did not deserve her testiness. Any good Auriana had done by gifting Thorn Azuka's blade had been marred by her regrettable moment of irritability, and she sighed with regret.

"I'll oversee our troops returning to Lunarfall from this end first, but yes, I will be returning to Stormwind later this evening," Auriana said, softening her voice. "You can send word to me in Dalaran, if anything needs my attention. I should be back tomorrow night, though I am confident knowing that the garrison is in your capable hands."

Thorn looked slightly mollified at the comment, but affront was still written in her posture.

"Er… I had best get back to it," Auriana said awkwardly, gathering up her damaged shoulderplate. "I'll see you tomorrow evening."

Auriana winced and shook her head as she departed, angered by her own defensiveness. It was very important to Auriana that her relationship with Varian was kept secret, but she knew there was no point in damaging relations with her junior officers in her zealousness.

Silently noting one more thing that she owed Lieutenant Thorn, Auriana made her way outside to help with the evacuation of troops from Bladefury's Command. She stopped first at the armourers to drop off her shoulderplate, before returning outside. More and more troops had gathered in the central garrison courtyard, and a great cheer went up as she approached. Auriana smiled awkwardly in response, and got straight to work in organising the fall back. She made careful mental notes as she worked, taking stock of the numbers of wounded and dead for her later reports. As she expected, the Alliance had managed to secure a very clean victory, and there had been few casualties. Regrettably, they had lost several gryphons in the fight against the magnaron, though she was pleased to see that her companion Brightfeather had successfully escaped the fight.

Auriana worked until she was finally satisfied that Lunarfall was secure, and that the men who had fought that day had been well looked after. Following the events at Highmaul, she had come to appreciate the importance of a hands on approach to her command, and she had resolved never to be as absent or distant as she had been. She stopped only briefly for dinner, wolfing down a small serve of bread and cheese before throwing herself back into her work.

Both of Draenor's moons sat high in the sky by the time Auriana finally retired to the privacy of her chambers. The King was expecting her to return to Stormwind tonight, but after visiting Varian she intended to return directly to Dalaran. Jaina Proudmoore had generously granted her use of a room in the Violet Citadel for as long as Auriana was studying in the city, and she hoped to get a good night's sleep in preparation for her training the following day. She filled a small travel pack with nightgown and a fresh set of robes, though she declined to change out of her armour. The only concession she made to her appearance was to quickly brush out her hair until it lay soft and shining down her back. Finally ready to depart, she opened a portal that would take her directly to the King's chambers, and eagerly stepped through.

* * *

The King appeared to have been waiting for her arrival, and he smiled broadly as she rematerialised. Auriana barely had time to divest herself of her travel pack before Varian came for her, swiftly crossing the room to pull her into his powerful embrace. Auriana surrendered willingly, resting her head against the warmth of his chest and relishing the sound of his strong, steady heartbeat. It had only been two days since they had last seen one another, but to Auriana it felt like it had been two weeks. Their romance so far had been a series of thrilling, breathless encounters, and Auriana found it at once both intoxicating and terrifying.

"Good evening," he murmured, gently nuzzling her hair.

Varian was generally a man of few words, but when he did speak, his deep, rich voice sent shivers up Auriana's spine. She didn't reply directly, instead choosing to stand up on her toes as she kissed him fiercely. Varian returned her kiss with equal passion, and it was some time before they finally broke apart.

"You've been fighting," he finally observed, cupping her cheek gently in his broad palm.

Auriana nodded. The King had an uncanny way of knowing exactly when she'd been in recent combat, regardless of whether she'd come straight from the battlefield or if she had dressed up to meet him. He leaned back slightly, one hand still on her waist, and ran his fingers across some of the scratches on her neck. Auriana distinctly saw his mouth tighten in displeasure. Varian was extremely protective by nature, and more than once he had mentioned his discomfort with the risks she often took. She always found his concern touching, but she sometimes wished he had more faith in her ability to protect herself.

"I lead an assault on Bladefury Command earlier this morning," she explained.

"I take it you were successful?"

"Would you expect anything less of Lunarfall?" Auriana said proudly. "We took the command and destroyed their magnaron, and I killed Azuka Bladefury in a single combat."

"You dueled her?" Varian asked, staring down at her seriously. "Did it occur to you that she could have been killed without such risk to your own life?"

Auriana could tell from his expression that he wasn't pleased, but she didn't feel she needed his permission to fight.

"Of course it  _occurred_ to me," Auriana said drily. "I considered the decision very carefully."

"And then you fought her anyway. You know, you don't have to engage every half-crazed orc with a mind to challenge you," Varian said sternly.

Auriana shrugged.

"What can I say? I felt like having some fun," she said lightly. "Besides… Azuka killed  _my_  men in  _my_ garrison. I couldn't let her walk away unpunished. You would have done the same."

"Perhaps," Varian said, equivocating.

Auriana raised her eyebrows skeptically, and Varian grunted.

"Probably," he conceded. "I'd just prefer it if that pretty head of yours stayed attached to your neck."

"As would I. She never stood a chance against me, Varian. I know what I'm doing," Auriana said, slightly annoyed that he apparently thought so little of her combat skills.

"It's not a question of competence," Varian said firmly, as if he had read her mind. "I've seen you fight. I know what you can do. I just… I need to know that you're safe."

His expression softened as he slid his hands to her shoulders, and Auriana winced slightly.

"See? You're hurt," he said, his voice low.

"It's nothing serious, I'm just a bit bruised. I had the worst of it healed," she said reassuringly. "Really, I'm fine."

Varian's lips drew into a thin line and he growled deep in his throat, but he decided not to push the issue further. He kissed her swiftly and pulled away, before moving to fix himself a drink.

"Do you want anything?" he asked, pouring a glass of his favourite whiskey.

"No, thank you. Although... I wouldn't turn down a bath. That is, if you don't mind?" she said hopefully.

Although she'd never admit it, Auriana secretly loved the King's deep, heavy bathtub. She'd put off her ablutions in the garrison on the chance that she might get to use Varian's simple but well-appointed bath chamber. She wasn't usually one for such indulgence, but she had to admit it was genuinely pleasurable sinking up to her neck in a tub full of hot water. As a soldier, she was often lucky if she could get a simple shower, let alone a hot one, and the idea of a bath was an enticingly foreign concept.

"Of course I don't mind," Varian said, his voice warming considerably. "Anything you ever want or need is yours."

Auriana grinned gratefully and moved towards the bath chamber. Somewhat to her surprise, the King followed close on her heels, whiskey in hand. As if he had read her mind, he made to fill the tub with hot water, while Auriana took the time to remove her armour. She pulled off her boots first, before slipping the catches beneath her robes. She gave a long sigh of satisfaction as the heavy material fell to the floor and pooled at her feet, making Varian smile. Auriana felt most at home in her armour, but removing it at the end of a long battle was still a welcome relief.

She then slowly removed her undergarments until she stood barefoot and bare-skinned, shivering slightly as the night air bit at her exposed flesh. Varian watched her hungrily as she disrobed, his wolfish eyes dark and fervent. Any outward sign of his earlier concern for her safety had vanished, and he now looked at her as if he wanted to devour her whole. Auriana wasn't sure she'd ever get used to being watched with such intensity. Varian had a way of looking at her like she was the only thing in all the world, and it never failed to stoke a fire deep within the pit of her stomach. Despite how he made her feel, however, it had taken some time for Auriana to comfortably appear naked before the King. Admittedly, the thought still made her somewhat nervous, but she was gradually becoming more comfortable in her own skin. Part of her, even though it was only a small part now, was still waiting for him to recoil at the sight of the scars that crisscrossed her body, or to find some other flaw in her small, pale figure. Varian never flinched, however, and only ever looked at her with what she had come to realise was untempered desire.

He held out his spare hand and beckoned her forwards, as steam from the tub clouded the room.

"Come," he ordered softly, his voice low and heated. "Let's get you cleaned up."


	4. Auriana

Auriana didn't need to be asked twice, gratefully accepting the aid of Varian's arm as she climbed into the large tub. The water was heavenly, and Auriana sighed in pleasure as she sunk her head below the waterline. For a few long moments, she simply lay submerged, enjoying how the heat of the water soothed her aching back and tickled her toes.

Above her, Auriana saw Varian draw up a stool and sit down, leaning his arms against the side of the tub as he thoughtfully sipped his whiskey. He'd rolled up the sleeves of his loose linen shirt to expose his muscular forearms, and he looked down at her with unguarded affection. She sat up, slightly short of breath, and slicked back her dark, wet, hair as she turned her head to face him.

"Would you like to join me?" she asked, still slightly surprised by her own boldness.

In the few short weeks since Auriana had decided to embrace a romantic relationship with the King, she had returned to Stormwind almost every night. Varian had thus far taken great satisfaction in making love to her, but Auriana's confidence in her own desires had been slow to develop. She was not at all experienced with men, save for a handful of stolen kisses and awkward, tentative experiments with some of the other young mages in Dalaran. It wasn't that she had been uninterested in the finer points of romance before, but rather that she had never really had  _time_  for such things. Auriana had left Theramore for Dalaran when she had been just thirteen, to begin her training as a mage. She'd then finished her studies and been sent to join the war in Northrend almost immediately, and she had been fighting for the Alliance practically nonstop ever since. She had never really trusted herself to be truly intimate with anyone, until Varian had awakened a desperate, secret hunger within her that she hadn't even known existed.

"No, it's quite alright," Varian said, smiling slightly. "I wouldn't dream of interrupting your time with my tub. Besides which… I'm rather enjoying the view."

Auriana blushed as his eyes raked her body from head to toe.

"Though… if you'll allow me?" the King asked, placing his glass down and leaning forward intently.

He gently tilted her forwards and re-positioned her so that her back was turned towards him. Auriana stiffened slightly, though she allowed herself to be moved. She was still very self-conscious of her back and the great scar that split her from neck to buttocks, courtesy of the great black dragon Deathwing. Varian sensed her discomfort and gently stroked her hair, muttering quiet reassurances as he lifted a washcloth to the back of her shoulders.

"Light, woman, you're wound tighter than a coiled spring," Varian murmured, as he began to gently clean her upper back.

"You  _do_  know what I do for a living, right?" Auriana said drily, though she began to suspect that any tension in her shoulders would be short lived.

Varian was surprisingly gentle for such a large and dangerous man. Between his strong fingers and the hot water, Auriana soon found herself thoroughly relaxed. Varian took careful care of her bruised shoulders as he worked, ever so gently massaging away her aches and pains. She sighed happily, resting her head on the cool edge of the tub and closing her eyes.

Auriana lost track of time as Varian worked, her mind gradually growing cloudy. She wasn't the type of person who relaxed easily, but Varian's clever fingers were impossible to resist. Her limbs had gone loose and heavy, and she didn't even open her eyes as he gently moved her into her original position, with her back against the head of the tub and her legs fully extended. Varian turned his attention to her front, gently working his way down her arms, chest, and shoulders.

"What happened here?" Varian asked curiously, tapping a small, circular scar at the point where her left arm joined her shoulder.

Auriana didn't have to open her eyes to know which scar he was talking about. She knew the story of each and every mark on her body, though she couldn't fathom why Varian might be interested.

"I was shot by a hunter in Northrend," she explained, her voice thick. "I was lucky he only clipped me."

"Horde?" Varian asked angrily.

"Alliance, actually," Auriana said ruefully. "Apparently, I'm so pale that in a snowstorm I look like I'm one of the Scourge."

"I assure you, you most definitely do not look undead," Varian said, sliding his hand appreciatively down the long line of her neck. "I can't possibly understand how that hunter could have made such a mistake."

"It was his first battle, and he was lost in a blizzard," she murmured, finding it difficult to concentrate on the words coming out of her mouth. "People… people do stupid things when they're scared and alone."

"I suppose… though I'm not sure I would have been as charitable about it as you seem to have been. What about here?" he asked, running his fingers down the thin scar that ran from underneath her left arm and across her ribs.

"Er… I jumped off a cliff into the ocean," Auriana said, remembering the incident all too well. "As it turned out, there were rocks at the bottom."

"Why on earth would you do that?" Varian asked.

"Well, it was either that, or get pummeled by a giant earth elemental," she said drily. "I chose the lesser of two evils."

"I see," he murmured. "You worry me sometimes, you know."

"At least I keep things interesting," she protested, smiling ever so slightly.

"Very interesting," Varian said, though there was something in his tone that made her suspect he was no longer talking about her assorted misadventures.

Auriana then realised that he had entirely abandoned pretense with the washcloth, and he was touching her with his bare hands. She shivered as he gently stroked her breasts and moved lower, a slow heat building in her chest as he began to trace lazy circles across her stomach. His fingers left trails of fire wherever they touched, and her entire body felt charged with a sudden restless energy.

She sunk further beneath the water as Varian continued his attentions, only to sit back upright when his hand slowly moved lower and he slipped his fingers between her thighs. Her eyes flew open and she stilled his wrist, her heart thundering with both sudden uncertainty and quickening excitement. Varian paused his ministrations, his darkened eyes intense as he met her curious gaze.

"Trust me," he murmured, remaining perfectly still as he awaited her permission.

Auriana swallowed, and hesitantly released his wrist. Slowly, carefully, his eyes never leaving hers, Varian gently teased her, his fingers carefully stoking the bonfire that now raged deep in the pit of her belly. Her breathing quickened, and she found it impossible to indulge her own uncertainty whilst Varian tormented her so sweetly.

The heat of his fingers seemed unreal, as did the pressure now building in her core. Auriana's toes began to tingle, and she found herself arching her hips into his hand. She rested her head back against the edge of the tub as she surrendered completely to his touch, her entire world reduced to the feeling of Varian's rough hands against her eager flesh. The fire in her veins rapidly built to fever pitch, and Auriana found herself silently begging him for release. Unable to control herself any longer, she cried out, her fingers clutching the sides of the tub desperately as Varian's feverish touch shattered her utterly.

For a long second, Auriana could have sworn she existed outside space and time, only for the heat of the water and her own frantic breathing to bring her back to reality. After a few moments, she managed to open her eyes and sit up, drawing her knees to her chest. Her body still trembled wildly, and she had to blink several times to regain control over her thoughts. Varian silently offered her a hand to help her out of the tub, and Auriana found her legs had entirely lost their ability to function. She staggered slightly as her bare feet hit the floor, gripping Varian's forearms for balance. He caught her gallantly, holding her against his chest as she fought for control of her traitorous limbs.

"Careful," he said lightly, the shadow of a satisfied grin crossing his face.

"Your fault," she muttered, her thoughts still muddled by sheer pleasure.

Once satisfied that she wasn't going to simply collapse, Varian stepped back and retrieved a towel, drying her off with the same careful tenderness that he'd shown earlier. Auriana practically jumped out of her skin every time he touched her, and she realised that she very much wanted him to make love to her.

"So…" she said, her voice heated and breathless. "What are you going to do with me?"

"What do you want me to do with you?" Varian asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"Take me," she said boldly, any nervousness that she'd felt before completely overridden by the strength of her primal need for him.

Varian didn't say a word in reply, but a slow, wolfish grin spread across his face. His eyes burned with lust as he stared down at her, before he silently took her hand and lead her firmly towards his bed.

* * *

It was after midnight by the time Varian finally decided her wanton request had been satisfied, and he released her gently before rolling over onto his back and closing his eyes. For her part, Auriana shifted onto her side, burying her face against the soft comfort of one of the many pillows that lined the bed. Her mind was blissfully blank and her every nerve sang, and she couldn't remember a time when she'd ever been so completely sated. The King of Stormwind was an intense but generous lover, and he had an uncanny instinct for knowing exactly what she wanted.

Auriana lay still for several minutes, until her thundering heartbeat had finally subsided and she was able to rise from the bed on trembling limbs. As she moved, Varian sat up and leaned back against the headboard, folding his arms behind his head. Auriana gazed back at him appreciatively, admiring the way his powerful muscles moved in the torchlight. Varian caught her stare and smiled, making Auriana blush and lower her eyes. Embarrassed by her own forwardness, she turned away and busied herself with her things, digging in her travel pack for a robe she could wear for her journey back to Dalaran.

"You're leaving," Varian observed suddenly, his voice twisting strangely.

"Jaina is expecting me in the morning. Is that a problem?" Auriana asked, turning back to face him.

"No… no, of course not. But… you don't need to be in Dalaran until tomorrow. Why don't you... stay?"

His voice still sounded odd, and there was a sudden intensity in his previously relaxed posture.

"Stay?" Auriana repeated. "I… I'm not sure…"

In truth, she honestly had never considered saying in Stormwind after an evening with Varian. It wasn't that she felt unwelcome, far from it, but rather that she felt that staying in his bed would add another layer of complexity to a relationship she was only just beginning to understand. She sincerely cared for Varian, and her feelings grew stronger with every encounter, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to take that step. Moreover, spending the night in Stormwind dramatically increased the chances of their affair being discovered, and she most  _definitely_  wasn't ready to be exposed as some kind of concubine to the King.

"I… it just feels like you're... my secret mistress, or something…" Varian said, scratching his chin in evident frustration.

"Well… I am," she said, smiling slightly. "Why does that bother you so much?"

"I don't know. Perhaps because it makes it seem as if we are doing something wrong, or as if this were a mere fling," Varian said, frowning in frustration. "It  _doesn't_  bother you?"

"No," Auriana said simply. "It was my choice to keep this a secret, remember?"

"I don't think you appreciate just how much I care about you," Varian said seriously, frowning and folding his arms across his chest. "This secrecy is less than you deserve. You should be standing by my side, not hidden away in the shadows."

"Varian, I don't need anything else, save for you," she said earnestly. "This is enough. Just… this."

Varian's expression brightened slightly, but he still looked somewhat concerned.

"Stay with me," he repeated firmly. "Just for tonight."

"I…" Auriana started uncertainly. "I don't know…"

She bit her lip, wavering in her conviction.

"Don't make me beg," Varian growled.

"You know, I wouldn't mind seeing what that looks like..." Auriana said, trying unsuccessfully to lighten the tone of the conversation.

Varian ignored her attempt at levity and leant forward, his eyes dark and uncompromising.

"Please," he said, and he looked at her with such raw feeling that she found it impossible to deny him.

"Alright," she said, finally conceding. "I have to be in Dalaran early, mind."

Tentatively, she walked forwards and climbed back into Varian's bed. The King let out a long sigh and pulled her into his arms, so that her head rested against the side of his chest. He was incredibly warm, and Auriana had to admit that there were far worse places she could fall asleep. Gradually, she allowed herself to relax once more, soothed by the rhythmic rise and fall of the King's chest.

"Is this really so bad?" he whispered, gently stroking her hair.

"Of course not," she murmured, burying her head in the crook of his shoulder. "That… that wasn't my concern…"

"What do you mean?"

"I can't really explain it," she admitted. "I still don't really know where I stand with you. I… I don't really know what…  _this_ … is."

She felt Varian grunt in reply, but he made no further comment. Instead, he cradled her closer, his large hands gently caressing her back. Auriana breathed in deeply, allowing herself to simply enjoy Varian's closeness.

"You smell like smoke and leather," she observed quietly. "It's nice."

"You smell like iron and wildflowers," he replied, his voice tender.

"That's a strange combination," she remarked.

"Perhaps, but it suits you," he murmured, kissing the top of her head.

Despite her initial reservations, Auriana found her eyes growing heavy as she lay in Varian's arms, the intensity of the day finally catching up with her. Her bones felt all of a sudden leaden, and the room gradually faded around her as she was drawn inexorably down into the darkness of sleep. The last thing she remembered was the King whispering something in her ear, but she was already too far gone to make out the words.


	5. Auriana

The next morning, Auriana awoke on her back, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling. She felt a brief surge of panic, until her waking mind adjusted to her surroundings and she remembered where she was. She stretched out her legs, blinking as she looked sideways. Beside her, Varian lay on his stomach, one arm splayed protectively across her belly. He looked hard, even in his sleep, and Auriana wondered if he ever had a moment when he was truly at peace.

Judging from the soft golden light now streaming in the window, it was still fairly early in the morning. Auriana briefly considered tucking her head under Varian's arm and going back to sleep, but it was so comfortable in the King's bed that she knew she'd likely never leave in time for her appointment in Dalaran. While she had been initially reluctant to stay with the King, Auriana couldn't remember when she'd had a better night's sleep.

Sighing, Auriana resigned herself to getting out of bed. She inched slowly sideways, trying to extricate herself from under Varian's hand without waking him, only to let out a startled squeal as his arm suddenly tightened and he pulled her forwards. In one smooth move, he managed to roll them both so that she ended up lying on his chest. His bright eyes flew open, unclouded by sleep, and she realised he hadn't been quite as unconscious as he had appeared.

"You're not getting away that easily," he growled.

"I… I wasn't trying to get away," she protested weakly.

"Yes, you were," Varian said lightly, kissing her soundly. "If there's one thing I can count on, it's that I'll always have to chase you."

Auriana bit her lip uncertainly, until she realised that Varian was speaking mostly in jest. His face was serious, but there was a very slight crinkle at the corner of his eyes that she had learned to associate with his dry sense of humour. The King then flipped her easily so that he now lay on top of her, pinning her between his comforting weight and the soft pillows. It was a strange contrast in sensations, sinking into the softness of the bed with the hard planes of his body above her. Varian kissed her again, slowly, and his hand roaming freely over the curve of her hip.

"I have to go," Auriana said, though she put up very little resistance to his attentions.

"You could stay, you know," he murmured, in between kisses. "I have little in the way of official duties today. We could spend the rest of the morning in bed, go for a ride out to Westfall… take dinner…"

"You do understand that this is supposed to be a  _secret_  relationship, yes?" Auriana said, though Varian's suggestion was awfully tempting. Besides, I think Jaina might have something to say about it if I simply failed to appear."

"You're a citizen of Stormwind, not of Dalaran," Varian countered. "You are subject to the whims of your King, not those of the Archmage."

"I'm afraid that my loyalties lie with the Lady Proudmoore," Auriana bantered back, her eyes sparkling. "At least for today."

"I am betrayed," Varian growled, in mock anger.

He gently bit at the pale skin of her neck, making Auriana wriggle and laugh. The King seemed encouraged by her response, and he redoubled his efforts to make her laugh.

"Really, though…" she said, placing a hand on his chest. "I… I should…"

She was cut off by the sound of a loud rap on the wooden door of the outer chamber. Varian shifted his weight and turned his head curiously towards the knock. For her part, Auriana practically leapt out of her skin, diving out from under his arm and fleeing for the relative safety of the bath chamber. She hastily pulled a sheet with her as she moved, awkwardly attempting to cover her naked body. Varian appeared rather less concerned, merely sitting up and pulling a sheet across his lap. He gave her a strange look as she ran and hid, though he made no comment.

Auriana stepped behind the door of the bath chamber, her mind racing as she wondered who could possibly be at Varian's door at this early hour.

"Father?" came a voice that could only be Anduin's, and Auriana heard the distinctive click of the outer door opening.

Auriana blushed brilliant red and closed her eyes, gathering the thin sheet tighter around her body. The crown prince was probably the last person she wanted to run into in Varian's chambers. While she knew that Anduin was aware of the relationship, it was another thing entirely for him to find her and Varian after a night together.

"What can I do for you, Anduin?" Varian was now saying.

"Genn invited me to breakfast, and I was wondering if you might like to join us?" Anduin asked brightly.

Auriana could hear him moving through Varian's study towards the bedroom, and she froze in a moment of pure panic. She was well concealed, but if Anduin entered Varian's inner chamber, he would certainly see her travel pack and discarded dress. Auriana had absolutely no desire to face the prince, nor answer any questions he might have. She liked Anduin, of course, but the thought of having to talk about her relationship with Varian around his  _son_  sent a cold sweat up her spine. She barely had a grasp on her own feelings for the King, and she had no idea how she could possibly deal with  _Anduin's_ likely complex feelings on the matter.

"Er… I'm not quite dressed yet, Anduin," she heard Varian call. "I only just woke up, I'm afraid."

"Oh!" Anduin said, and Auriana breathed a sigh of relief as the sound of his footsteps ceased. "I apologise, Father."

"It's fine, Anduin. Why don't you head across to Genn's quarters, and I'll meet you there shortly," Varian suggested.

Auriana was amazed at how calm the King sounded. To her, the situation was entirely absurd, and she had to fight off a sudden mad urge to laugh. Her shoulders shook with silent giggles as she leant her back against the bath chamber wall, pressing a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.

"Very well, then," Anduin said cheerily. "I'll see you soon."

Auriana waited until she heard the prince leave, before she slumped down with a sigh and buried her head in her hands. A few moments later, Varian stuck his head around the corner, staring down at her bemusedly. He was now wearing a pair of loose pants, and he pulled a dark brown tunic over his head as he spoke.

"Are you quite alright?" he asked.

"I… er… I apologise," Auriana said, standing up straighter and brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. "I didn't want Anduin to know that I was here."

"So you ran into my bath chamber like a frightened deer?" Varian remarked, raising a heavy eyebrow.

"Um… yes," she admitted.

"I thought you said you were happy for Anduin to know about our relationship?" Varian asked, his eyes sharp.

"I am… it's not that…" she said, shifting uncomfortably.

"I don't understand. Do… do you like Anduin?" Varian asked, his voice rising in sudden concern.

"Of course I do," Auriana said, genuinely surprised by the question. "Who doesn't like Anduin? An Old God would like Anduin..."

"So why are you hiding?" he wondered, nonplussed.

"It's one thing for him to know that we're in a relationship, it's quite another for him see it first hand," Auriana explained. "I… this is all so new to me, Varian. I'd imagine that the idea of you with a woman is quite new to Anduin, too… and I'm not sure I'm ready to deal with that."

"You don't have to do anything that you don't want to, of course," Varian conceded, visibly relaxing. "I'll admit, I hadn't thought about it that way. I thought you… well, never mind. You'll have to forgive me, I know I can be a bit… defensive… when it comes to my son."

"I hadn't noticed," Auriana said, deadpan, earning herself a withering look and a wordless harrumph from Varian.

She grinned cheekily and raised her eyebrows, causing him to soften his expression and shake his head. Teasing Varian was always something of a risk, but Auriana had come to realise that he had a good sense of humour, and he could be far more self-deprecating than his outward persona might suggest.

"You're very funny," Varian said drily.

"I have my moments," she shot back.

"That you do. Can I convince you to come out of hiding?" he asked, offering her a hand.

Auriana accepted gratefully, still clutching her sheet as she walked back into Varian's bed chamber.

"I suppose I'd best leave for Dalaran," she said. "And leave you to your breakfast."

Auriana gathered up her undergarments and a clean set of robes, and quickly set about getting dressed. She shimmied into the plain robes, pulling the rough-hewn linen up over her hips and slipping her arms into the short sleeves.

"Do you mind lacing me up?" she asked Varian, turning away from him and drawing aside her long hair so that her bare back was exposed.

"Well, yes, I do mind... but I'll do it anyway," Varian said.

Auriana shot him a swift look at him over her shoulder, nonplussed.

"I'd much rather take clothes off you than put them on," he explained roguishly, reaching out to stroke the uncovered skin of her back, before reaching for the long laces.

Varian worked surprisingly quickly, and in no time at all Auriana was firmly laced into her dress. She turned back to face the King as she pulled her unruly hair into a messy braid, before slipping her feet into her well-worn boots and reaching for her travel pack.

"Will you be returning to Stormwind tonight?" Varian asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately not," Auriana said, genuinely regretful. "I really should return to Lunarfall after a day in Dalaran, in case there's anything that needs my attention. I have responsibilities, you know."

"Are you sure I can't order you,  _Commander_?" he suggested.

"You could try," she retorted. "Though I'm not sure you'd succeed. It would be somewhat an abuse of power,  _Your Majesty_ , don't you think?"

"What about tomorrow?" Varian pressed. "Would… would you like to take dinner with Anduin and me?"

Auriana hesitated. Such a dinner was precisely what she had been hoping to avoid, but she could see her earlier reaction had greatly affected Varian. It was clearly very important to the King that she got along with his son, and Auriana did not begrudge him that concern in the slightest. She reminded herself that she and Anduin had got along perfectly well before her affair with Varian had started, and she really had no reason to believe that things had stayed. She sighed, but nodded her head.

"I… I'd love to join you," she said sincerely, offering Varian a reassuring smile.

"Thank you," he said, kissing her cheek. "Until then, my lady…"

"Until then," Auriana echoed, stepping away from him carefully as she reached out towards Dalaran and disappeared.


	6. Auriana

Anduin's unexpected interruption had actually proven to be fortuitous, for it allowed Auriana to arrive in Dalaran ahead of time. She reappeared at the Dalaran portal hub, acknowledging the current portal guards with a nod, before striding off swiftly towards the Violet Citadel. It was a beautiful morning in Dalaran, and the city's white minarets fairly shone in the bright sunlight. While Auriana considered Stormwind her home on Azeroth, she still felt that Dalaran was perhaps the most beautiful city in the world. There were few places that could compare to the magnificent floating city, and she found her spirits lifting every time she returned. It helped, of course, that she had spent the night with Varian, which she had found never failed to put her in a good mood.

Unfortunately, Auriana suspected her sense of contentment would be short lived. While her sessions with Jaina Proudmoore had been undeniably useful, they required both intense amounts of concentration and physical effort. Auriana also wasn't sure whether Jaina actually  _liked_  her. Before the incident at Highmaul, Auriana would have considered her relationship with the older mage friendly, but now she felt Jaina treated her with a cautious cordiality. Jaina had not yet directly discussed the events of Highmaul with Auriana, though the Archmage projected a sense of watchful wariness that suggested that it was never very far from her mind.

Auriana's suspicions proved to be correct almost as soon as she entered the Violet Citadel, and she ran straight into Elwin Lansing. Lansing had been one of the mages that Auriana had linked with and drained when she had embraced her fury to defeat the Sorcerer King in Highmaul. There wasn't a day that went by since that Auriana hadn't thought about that moment, but she found herself utterly unprepared for the reality of coming face to face with one of the victims of her rage.

Lansing started as he saw her, and Auriana felt an overwhelming physical urge to run. She hoped that he would simply ignore her and keep moving, but to her surprise, he paused, and made to address her directly.

"Good morning, Commander," he said stiffly.

"Good...good morning, Elwin," she replied warily.

"I take it you're here to work with Jaina," Lansing continued.

"Yes," Auriana confirmed. "I've been working with her for the past couple of weeks."

"I see," he said quietly, his short statement heavy with unspoken meaning. "Well, don't let me keep you."

He turned to go, but Auriana found she couldn't let him leave without unburdening her ailing consciousness.

"I… I'm sorry," she blurted. "For Highmaul. And... I know you suggested to Jaina that she not punish me for what happened. I… I am grateful."

Lansing sighed, and regarded her thoughtfully. His expression was carefully neutral, but Auriana could see a slight edge to his dark eyes.

"You needn't grovel, Auriana," he said finally. "I am well aware that I would probably be dead if not for what you did, as… unsavoury… as it may have been."

Auriana exhaled with open relief at his words. She didn't like to feel as if she owed anyone anything, and while she knew she'd likely never fully absolve herself of Highmaul, Lansing's forgiveness gave her some measure of comfort.

"I would be clear, however, that while Highmaul may have been forgiven, it has not been forgotten," he added ominously. "I may have recommended to Jaina that you avoid punishment, but make no mistake, I think you are extremely dangerous. I have advised Jaina that I will not work with you again. Some of the other mages who were at Highmaul may feel differently, but I will not take the risk."

Auriana had no possible response, and simply nodded. She certainly wasn't going to argue with Lansing's reasoning, but his words hit her like a slap in the face.

"If you'll excuse me," Lansing said finally, sweeping away from her without another word.

Auriana watched him go, her chest feeling suddenly tight. Lansing's tone had not been angry, far from it, but his cold rejection stung her more than if he had shouted at her. For a long moment she was frozen in place, trying not to let her thoughts drift back to that terrible day. Auriana rarely allowed herself to reflect or grieve, and for very good reason. Sometimes she felt that she had only survived because she only ever allowed herself to look forwards, never back at the long trail of bodies that littered her past.

"Auriana?" someone said from behind her, and she started as a soft hand landed on her shoulder.

She turned to behold Jaina Proudmoore, the regal Archmage of the Kirin Tor. Auriana always felt somewhat intimidated by Jaina, who was a remarkably accomplished woman for her age. Jaina had been the ruler of Theramore, a city-state she had personally established despite facing considerable challenges, and now she was one of the youngest leaders in Kirin Tor history. It also didn't help that Jaina was stunningly beautiful, with her delicate features and tall, lithesome grace.

Jaina's pale blue eyes narrowed very slightly as she looked down at Auriana.

"Are you ready for our session?" she asked softly, her keen gaze far too knowing.

"Of course, Archmage," Auriana replied, standing up straighter.

"Are you alright?" Jaina asked perceptively.

"I'm fine," Auriana said quietly, though they both knew she was lying.

Auriana ruthlessly beat her discomfort down. She was thoroughly rattled by her run in with Lansing, but she had no desire to discuss the issue further, especially considering that she still wasn't sure if Jaina would have any sympathy for her point of view. Instead, she dutifully followed Jaina through the streets of Dalaran to one of the small arenas used by mages to practice their skills.

Jaina's training regime was always wildly varied, and as they walked, Auriana wondered what this particular session had in store. Normally, the day started off with combat training, in which she and Jaina fought a series of casual duels to warm up their magic. While they never truly fought in earnest, Auriana had quickly learned that Jaina was a startlingly skilled duelist, and she was unafraid to fight dirty. Auriana outclassed Jaina in terms of pure, raw power, but the Archmage of the Kirin Tor won more often than not, adept as she was at using Auriana's own strengths against her. Auriana had considered herself a strong duelist, but Jaina was a humbling lesson in how much she still had to learn about fighting other magic users.

Still rattled by her encounter with Lansing, Auriana was slow to get started as they began to fight. Against an opponent as skilled as Jaina, her lack of attention showed, and Auriana was soon breathing hard as she tried frantically to contain the Archmage.

"Focus, Auriana!" Jaina urged. "You're all over the place."

To emphasise her point, Jaina punished Auriana with a stinging shock to the back, causing the younger mage to stumble to her knees. Auriana snarled as she fell, shaking her head in frustration. The Archmage may have looked like faerie princess, but she had a spine of cold steel, and she was a ruthless taskmaster. Auriana staggered to her feet, the pain of her bruised knees crystallizing her focus and allowing her naturally competitive nature to reassert itself. Auriana shot a powerful whip of arcane magic back at Jaina as she rose, forcing the Archmage back.

"Better!" Jaina praised her, responding with a blast of her own.

Auriana dodged the attack with far more alacrity than she had shown earlier, and she managed to make something of a comeback in the duel. Jaina allowed the fight to flow back and forth for several more minutes, until she held up a hand to signal enough.

"What was that?" Jaina demanded, as Auriana caught her breath. "I've never seen you so sloppy. I've seen apprentices in their first year fight better than that."

"I apologise," Auriana said stiffly. "I was unfocused. It won't happen again."

Jaina harrumphed, looking displeased, but she apparently decided to move on from Auriana's dismal performance in the duel. Instead, she set Auriana to work preparing an elaborate magical construct within a series of very exacting parameters. The spell didn't have a specific purpose or use, but rather tested a mage's ability to work precisely and delicately. A single mistake would collapse the web, and force the caster to start all over again. It was a fiendishly difficult piece of magic, and Auriana found herself sweating with effort and pure frustration. Magically speaking, Auriana had all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, and such a spell required a significantly lighter touch. To add insult to injury Jaina was also making her work with fire, rather than frost or arcane, and Auriana was struggling to maintain control over her weakest element.

She fought with the spell for over an hour under Jaina's watchful eye, but she was unable to successfully progress the spell beyond the beginning stages. Auriana finally gave up and released her power, shattering the spell in the process.

"This is pointless," she snapped. "I'm starting to think that the sole purpose of these exercises is to frustrate me."

The faintly burning, pitiful excuse for a construct faded, and Jaina stepped forwards, frowning as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Perhaps that's exactly what I'm trying to do," Jaina said.

"Why on earth would you want to make me angry?" Auriana demanded.

The only reason she was even  _in_  Dalaran in the first place was because of what had happened in Highmaul, and she couldn't quite believe that Jaina was willing to intentionally provoke her ire.

"Because it's a problem, and one that I am determined to address. You don't control your anger, Auriana, you run from it," Jaina countered. "You refuse to let yourself really feel  _anything_ , just so you can avoid your fury. That's not control, it's avoidance."

"I wonder why that is?" Auriana snarled sarcastically.

Jaina frowned, and Auriana regretted her insolent tone. It was the first time she and Jaina had directly discussed the incident at Highmaul, and Auriana's most damning weakness. Auriana had no desire to converse on the topic, and yet she wondered why Jaina had finally decided to address it head on.

"You'll never be an Archmage unless you learn to work with your entire self, including your anger," Jaina said, her tone slightly more placating. "I understand why you fear it, but it's a part of you, whether you like it or not."

"I don't want to be an Archmage," Auriana muttered, not having any answer for Jaina's real point.

She flung herself down rather petulantly on a bench at the side of the small arena, refusing to look Jaina in the eye.

"Why not?" Jaina asked, genuine surprise written across her delicate features.

"I don't want to become some hermit of a mage, hiding in a tower with nothing but obscure, musty tomes for company," Auriana explained. "I… I love fighting on the front line. It's the only thing I've ever really been good at, and I don't want to give that up."

"Is that what you think I do?" Jaina asked wryly, sweeping gracefully across the arena to take a seat by Auriana's side. "Do I look musty to you?"

"No, of course not," Auriana said quickly, flushing. "That's not what I meant… I just… I'm not ready to stop fighting for the Alliance. You know why I've kept my distance from the Kirin Tor for so long. I don't think I could be neutral if I tried."

"That doesn't mean you should waste your talent," Jaina said. "Which, I should remind you, is considerable."

Auriana looked up at the unexpected compliment, only to see Jaina staring back at her with implacable determination.

"Are you sure it is only a question of your perceived freedom?" the Archmage asked shrewdly. "I've started to wonder if you hold back on your magic. Perhaps you fear that if you develop your skills enough to become an Archmage, you'll have more power than you can control."

"I don't hold back," Auriana said, bristling. "Are you suggesting that I'm lazy? Or that somehow I leave my men undefended?"

"You certainly aren't lazy, and by all accounts, you are a skilled commander. I meant no offense, it's simply something I have noticed in our time together. I wasn't sure at first, but I've seen you work several times now. You hold back," Jaina observed. "You always do."

Auriana nearly snapped back without thinking, but she forced herself to consider the point before speaking. Admittedly, Jaina had something of a point. Auriana very rarely fought at the full extent of her ability. On consideration, the only two times in her life when Auriana had genuinely pushed the limits of her potential had been Highmaul, and during the fight against Deathwing. Auriana tried to convince herself that it was simply because she didn't  _need_  to use her full power, or that she was conserving her energy strategically, but she slowly realised that it was more likely that she was  _afraid_.

"What… what if I did hold back?" she confessed. "I think… I  _know_  that I associate my full power with a sense of losing control. I worry that if I push my limits, I won't be able to stop. I worry that I'll become addicted, and that I'll do something terrible. I've  _already_  done something terrible. I love my magic, but I'm terrified of it."

"As I said, Auriana, that isn't control. Magic is just a tool, it only has whatever control you allow it to have. Just like your anger," Jaina reminded her, her voice not unkind.

"You're suggesting that I can learn to wield my fury as a weapon," Auriana realised.

"Possibly," Jaina said. "I was somewhat uncharitable when I spoke earlier… I believe you  _do_  have the capacity for control, but you don't always exercise it appropriately. I spoke to the mages who fought at Highmaul. From what they said, you could have killed them all, but you made a conscious choice to let them escape. I admittedly wasn't sure until I started to work with you, but I think you can learn to make your anger work for you, not against you."

"I… I don't think I can do that," Auriana said unwillingly.

"How would you know?" Jaina argued. "Have you ever tried?"

"Of course not," Auriana growled irritably. "The consequences of my failure would be far too great. My methods for control may not be perfect, but they work. Why are you suddenly so eager to push me into this? If I recall,  _you_  were the one most concerned about reigning in my abilities."

"As I said, working closely with you has changed my mind on a great number of things," Jaina said enigmatically. "You are not at all what I expected. You've changed considerably since I last taught you."

Auriana's curiosity was aroused by the statement, but she declined to inquire further. All she cared about right now was disabusing Jaina of the notion that her fury was in some way controllable, to the extent that she could use it to her advantage in battle without undue consequences.

"Don't ever ask such a thing of me again, Jaina," Auriana said warningly.

Jaina wisely fell quiet, and for several minutes both women sat in silence. Auriana looked straight ahead, ignoring Jaina's piercing gaze. The Archmage meant well, but Jaina had never felt nor seen firsthand the sheer savagery of Auriana's rage, and the way her magic and fury fuelled one another in a terrifying storm of power.

"It was just a thought," Jaina said finally, her tone placating. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, of course."

Auriana nodded gratefully, her frustration waning slightly, but she gave no reply.

"On the issue of your promotion to Archmage," Jaina said, smoothly changing the topic, "I have no doubt that you could pass the trials within a year, perhaps two if you're lazy."

"That's not up for discussion, either," Auriana added.

Jaina frowned and shook her head in disappointment, but she rose to her feet with a sudden energy.

"Get up," Jaina said firmly. "I'm not letting you leave until you can show me that construct."

Auriana rose reluctantly, cracking her knuckles as she prepared to cast again. Making the fire construct was damnably frustrating, but it was still better than continuing her current conversation with the Archmage.

"You know, one day you're going to decide that you're not afraid of who you are," Jaina said lightly, as Auriana focused her will and began the torturous spell. "I just hope I'm around to see it when you do."


	7. Varian

The following evening, Varian stood alone in his personal chambers, eagerly awaiting the arrival of both Anduin and Auriana. He had spent a long day listening to petitions from various members of the Stormwind populace, and while he considered the work very important, he was admittedly looking forwards to an informal dinner.

As it turned out, Auriana was the first to arrive, appearing in a bright flash of light that briefly illuminated Varian's receiving chamber. She was dressed simply but elegantly in a short sleeved, dark green dress, and he could see that she'd made something of an effort with her appearance. Varian smiled to himself, silently appreciating how the dress hugged her slender curves and the way the firelight caught the elaborate braids of her mahogany hair. Auriana grinned nervously at him, and Varian realised that she was somewhat apprehensive about dining with Anduin. As far as Varian was aware, she and Anduin had always gotten along famously, but he suspected that Auriana was concerned about a change in dynamic now that she and Varian were involved.

Varian strode forwards to greet her, determined to put her at ease.

"Good evening," he said warmly, pulling her forwards into his arms.

Auriana came to him willingly, resting her head against his chest and sighing contentedly. Varian adored the way she fit snugly between his powerful shoulders, and how she had to stand on the tips of her toes to kiss him.

"Hello," she murmured. "How are you?"

"Better now," Varian said honestly, kissing the top of her head. "How was Dalaran?"

"Frustrating," Auriana said flatly. "Sometimes I feel as if I understand less now than before I started to work with Jaina."

She stepped back, and moved to pour herself a glass of wine. Varian followed right on her heels, wanting to stay as close to her as possible.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Auriana sighed and turned back to face him, taking a long draw of her drink. Her expression was all of a sudden serious, and her delicate brows drew together in a frown.

"I'd rather not talk about it right now, if it's all the same to you," Auriana said, shaking her head. "Though perhaps we might speak after dinner."

"As you wish," Varian said lightly, pouring a drink of his own.

He was well aware that pushing her on an issue would not go well. Auriana would talk if and only if she was ready, and she would do so on her own terms.

A brief moment of awkward silence passed between them, only to be broken by a sharp knock at the door.

"Come," Varian called.

The door swung open to reveal Anduin, followed by two serving girls.

"Good evening, Father; Auriana," Anduin said brightly. "How are you both?"

Varian clapped his son warmly on the back as he entered the room, and Auriana nodded her own greeting.

"Very well, for my part," Varian replied, with a sidelong glance at Auriana.

"Um… I'm also... well," she replied, blushing slightly.

Anduin smiled amiably, and moved to take a seat in one of the heavy oak chairs that lined Varian's dining table. The two serving girls followed closely behind him, each carrying an assortment of dishes for the evening meal. The younger of the two women looked at Auriana very curiously as worked, and Varian realised it probably hadn't been the best idea to have Auriana teleport directly into his chambers. Although it wasn't his preference, Varian had agreed to keep his dalliance with Auriana a secret from everyone except Anduin and Jaina. He still half expected to Auriana to flee from the relationship at the first sign of trouble, and to that end he didn't need inquisitive serving girls starting palace rumours.

"Er… please take a seat, Commander," he said, emphasing Auriana's military title slightly.

Varian gallantly pulled out a chair, and Auriana sat down, sweeping her skirts beneath her with surprising grace. She sat with her back perfectly straight, her chin lifted, and Varian was starkly reminded that she was noble by birth, even if she didn't use her title.

"Thank you, my Lord," she said, quickly picking up on Varian's intention to downplay the personal nature of their relationship in front of the servants.

Anduin had taken the seat to the right of Varian's usual chair. The prince frowned almost imperceptibly at the sudden formality between Varian and Auriana, but he remained silent as the servants quickly set the table.

Tonight's dinner was a simple but hearty meal of steak, buttery potatoes, and greens. The potatoes were one of Anduin's favourites, and Varian hoped that Auriana would find them equally appetitive. He dismissed the serving girls with a wave of his hand, offering them his thanks as he settled into his own chair.

"I've been reading those volumes you leant me," Anduin said to Auriana, tucking into his food with the kind of gusto that only hungry young men possessed.

"Oh?"

"They're very interesting," Anduin continued, in between bites of meat and potato. "I had no idea that magical theory was so complex… or contested. There were a couple of points I didn't understand, and I was hoping you might be able to enlighten me?"

"Um… of course," Auriana said, quickly looking sideways at Varian.

He nodded at her encouragingly, hoping she'd take Anduin up on his invitation to converse. She smiled hesitantly, but she turned her attention back to Anduin and leant forwards in interest.

"What would you like to know?"

Anduin and Auriana were soon swept up in an intense debate about magical theory. Auriana's earlier nervousness soon vanished, soothed as she was by Anduin's eager affability and her passion for the topic at hand. Varian didn't really participate in the conversation, instead choosing to sit back and listen. It was a simple pleasure to sip fine whiskey and watch his beloved son and the beautiful young mage as they bantered back and forth.

Anduin and Auriana rapidly switched topics, soon leaving magical theory behind to discuss current events in both Draenor and Stormwind. Neither of them seemed to have particularly noticed Varian's silence, and it was nearly midnight by the time Anduin yawned and indicated his intention to retire.

"I apologise, Auriana," the prince said. "I've keep you very late. And you, Father, we seem to have ignored  _you_  entirely."

"Think nothing of it," Varian said. "You both know I'm generally a man of few words."

"Still, you might have liked to get a single one of those few words in edgewise," Anduin pointed out.

He yawned once more, squeezing his blue eyes tight.

"I think I'll be off to bed, then," he said, rising to his feet. "Thank you for the conversation, Auriana. It was most illuminating."

"Any time," Auriana said happily. "Let me know when you're finished with the first volume of Antonidas' reflections on magic, and I'll give you the second. He speculates more specifically on other forms of magic used in Azeroth, including the Light."

"I'd like to read that," Anduin agreed, making his way towards the door. "Goodnight, Father. Goodnight, Auriana."

"Goodnight, Anduin," Varian and Auriana chorused.

Auriana's eyes followed Anduin as he departed, her expression thoughtful. Varian idly wondered what she was thinking, and toyed with the idea of asking her, but instead decided to follow up on his question from earlier.

"So," he said, stretching out in his chair. "Are you going to tell me what happened in Dalaran?"

Auriana considered him pensively, but she didn't seem as reluctant as she had been before.

"I ran into Elwin Lansing," she said finally.

"He was one of the mages who fought at Highmaul," Varian recalled, instantly more alert. "I'm sorry. That must have been difficult."

Auriana nodded.

"It certainly wasn't... pleasant, but… on reflection, I realised I can live with his censure, strange as it might sound," Auriana said. "Sometimes terrible things are necessary for the greater good… and if someone has to bear the burden of that, I'd rather it be me than anyone else."

"So what's bothering you, then?" Varian asked, sensing that she had other concerns.

"Something Jaina said, actually…" she said, her voice wavering slightly. "Am I… am I cold, Varian? Am I a cold person?"

"You're reserved," Varian said slowly. "And I know you don't much like to discuss your feelings…. but I wouldn't call you cold. You certainly aren't cold with me."

Auriana smiled ever so slightly at his words, but she still looked uncertain. Varian frowned.

"What did Jaina say to you?"

"She said... she said that I don't let myself ever really feel anything," Auriana murmured. "I know I'm not the most open person… but I never saw myself as some kind of... heartless monster."

"You're not a monster," Varian said swiftly. "In any sense of the word. And you certainly aren't heartless. Just because you are not demonstrative, doesn't mean you don't feel things very deeply. I would argue that someone who was truly cold... someone who truly didn't care... wouldn't even think to ask the question."

"Perhaps," Auriana said doubtfully. "But I have been wondering if Jaina might be right. Sometimes I think that if I let myself care too much, I won't be able to do what needs to be done in Draenor. Or worse, that I'll fall prey to my own fury."

She sighed, and suddenly looked very young.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's just been preying on my mind today. I want to be the best commander I can be for my men, but sometimes I'm not sure I even come close to what they deserve."

"You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, Auriana," Varian reminded her, placing a gentle hand upon her arm.

She looked back at him then, her brilliant blue eyes very serious.

"I do, actually," she argued. "Quite literally. Lunarfall is all that stands between Azeroth and a second Dark Portal. And Lunarfall is  _my_  responsibility."

Auriana looked away once more, running her fingers along the edge of the table as she collected her thoughts.

"So much of what we have suffered, both the Alliance  _and_  the Horde, comes back to that moment," she continued. "You personally lost your father, your family, your home… as did countless others. If Lunarfall's mission fails, if Azeroth falls… that's on me."

Varian regarded her carefully, before picking up her hand and gently kissing her knuckles lightly.

"When I first became king of Stormwind, I felt much as you do now," he told her. "It all seemed so… impossibly  _big_. I struggled with the enormity of kingship for years. I still do, actually. But I think you need to remember that you don't have to save the world, Auriana, you just have to do the best you can with what's given to you."

"Easier said than done," Auriana murmured, still sounding slightly doubtful. "I'm sorry, I'm sure you don't want to hear me ramble on about this sort of thing."

"You can talk to me about anything, Auriana," Varian said firmly. "I hope you know that."

Auriana nodded, but she touched a weary hand to her eyes.

"Still… I think that's enough self-pity for one night," she muttered, rising to her feet to pour herself another glass of wine. "Who knows… perhaps I should take Jaina up on her offer..."

"Her offer?" Varian asked.

"She thinks I should become an Archmage," Auriana said, chuckling slightly, as if the very idea were absurd. "Which would, of course, mean giving up my command."

"Is that so far out of the question?" he asked, genuinely curious. "Becoming an Archmage, I mean."

Varian knew little of the inner politics of Dalaran or how mages assessed rank, but on power alone he knew Auriana was as deserving of the title as almost anyone else in the world.

"Jaina seems to think so. But you know me, Varian. I worry greatly about my command, and the job that I do… but there's nowhere else I'd rather be," Auriana said. "I certainly don't want to be hidden away in Dalaran for the rest of my life."

"I'm fairly sure they'd let you leave, on occasion," Varian pointed out drily. "Perhaps if you were on your very best behaviour."

Auriana gave a tolerant sigh at his joke, but some of the tension faded from her posture, and her lips quirked ever so slightly upwards. Varian returned her smile, rising to his feet and kissing her swiftly. Auriana was something of a natural worrier, and he hoped that she wouldn't continue to brood on the matter overmuch.

"Are you going to stay tonight?" he said, changing the topic.

As he spoke, he reached forwards to gently cup her face in his hands.

"I really shouldn't," Auriana said firmly, though there was a note of regret in her voice. "We lost some of our forward bases in Gorgrond about two weeks ago. I had intended to push back sooner, but then the garrison was invaded and we were forced to deal with the Burning Blade. Now that Azuka is dead, however, I need to turn my attention back to Gorgrond, and more specifically, Blackrock Foundry. I'm leading an assault on one of our lost outposts early tomorrow morning."

She made to step back, but Varian caught her slender wrist and pulled her towards him. She had no resistance against his vastly superior strength, and she fell gently against his chest as he captured her lips in a slow, lingering kiss. He stroked her bare arms gently, and was amply rewarded by the sound of her soft sigh.

"Surely you have subordinates who could lead such a mission," he murmured.

"Varian Wrynn," she said, with mock sternness. "Are you seriously suggesting that I neglect my duties as Commander of Lunarfall?"

"No," he conceded. "Of course not. Still… I can't deny that I'd like to have you stay in Stormwind tonight."

"You'd like if I stayed in Stormwind  _every_ night," she said lightly.

"Of course," Varian said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

A brief flash of surprise crossed Auriana's face, and Varian realised that her statement had been intended in jest. He frowned, genuinely confused by her reaction. It was as if Auriana didn't seem to consider herself of any great importance to him, despite the strength of the passion they shared. Varian looked down at her, wondering what he could possibly do to convince her that he took their relationship very seriously. She gazed back at him curiously, apparently entirely nonplussed by the sudden power of his stare.

"It's tempting," she said slowly, evidently thinking that his intensity was part of an attempt to get her to stay. "Really, it is. But I  _do_  need to be up early. The Iron Horde aren't just going to give up territory in Gorgrond without some… encouragement."

Varian grunted by means of reply. He knew she was right, but there was a part of him that wanted to be entirely selfish and simply keep her to himself for an entire week or more.

"Are you sulking?" she teased lightly, brushing a strand of his unruly hair back from his face.

"No," Varian growled. "It's just… inconvenient."

"Would you like me to let the Iron Horde know?" she asked drily. "'My apologies, Grom Hellscream, I'd really love to keep fighting, but the King of Stormwind has decided it is  _inconvenient_ for me to do so _._ '"

"Could you?" Varian retorted. "It would save us all an awful lot of time and trouble."

Auriana ducked her head and laughed, the warm sound echoing pleasantly around the room. Varian loved the rare occasions when she truly laughed, and he was overwhelmed by the sudden urge to kiss her once more. By the time he eventually released her from his embrace, her lips were ruby red and she was breathing heavily. She tilted her head to the side, her eyes soft as she gazed up at him.

"How is it that you're always able to put me in a good mood?" she wondered.

"I have my ways," Varian replied, raising an eyebrow.

She gazed up at him affectionately, blushing slightly under the heat of his gaze. A second later, however, she stepped back, some of the earlier humour had fading from her face. Varian could feel her hands suddenly tremble as they lingered on his broad forearms, and she was unable to meet his eyes.

"Varian… I… um..." she started nervously, only to fall silent mere moments later.

Varian squeezed her arms encouragingly, but it appeared that whatever she had been about to say would remain a mystery.

"I… I  _really_  should be going," she said firmly, as if trying to convince herself as much as him.

"When will I see you again?" Varian asked, choosing once again not to press the issue.

"I don't know how long we'll be in Gorgrond," Auriana admitted. "We've lost significant ground, it could take some time to restore our presence in the region."

Varian nodded, though he was sorely disappointed.

"I'll try to get back as soon as I'm able," she said hopefully, looking up at him once more. "Three days, perhaps."

"I look forward to it," Varian said softly. "Goodnight, Auri."

"Goodnight, Varian," she replied, pressing her lips softly to his cheek before she simply faded away into thin air, and he was left alone once more.


	8. Auriana

Auriana lay on her belly in the Gorgrond jungle, her eye pressed up against a long, magical spyglass. Her attention was entirely focused on the Iron Horde base half a mile to her south as she prepared to lead the men of Lunarfall in a mighty assault. The sun was already hot, despite the early hour, and Auriana could feel a nervous sweat break out upon her brow as she readied herself for the fight ahead. There were about two hundred men hidden behind her in the jungle, ready to attack the Iron Horde the moment she gave the word.

A second assault force of three hundred men had held back about three miles south of Auriana's current position, though they were currently invisible to her sight. The base between them was one of the outposts that the Iron Horde had recaptured after the initial push into Gorgrond, and Auriana needed to recapture the territory before pushing on towards Blackrock Foundry. Unless she could hold the base, the Alliance troops at Highpass would be entirely cut off, and Lunarfall wouldn't be able to establish a successful supply line north to the Foundry.

The current plan was for Auriana's troops to engage the Iron Horde first, and push them into the anvil of the second invasion force. With any luck the Horde would leave the relative safety of their fortified encampment to fight Auriana's smaller expeditionary unit, and the southern troops would be able to secure Iron Horde defences behind them, and put the Iron Horde weaponry to good use.

She twisted slightly to speak to Delvar Ironfist, calmly lying in his usual position by her side. Lieutenant Gale was far to the south, leading the second part of Lunarfall's fighting force.

"Alright," she whispered to Ironfist, stowing the spyglass on her belt. "We're good to go. The Iron Horde don't appear to have any idea that we're here. There are a number of orcs guarding the outer perimeter. We need to kill them as quickly as possible, but not before they've sounded the alarm. As soon as we've drawn the rest of the Horde in the base out, Gale will move to flank from behind."

"Right ye are, Commander," Ironfist said eagerly, sliding away from her to relay her orders amongst the rest of the men.

Auriana waited patiently for several minutes, idly adjusting her new armour. She was itching to get into the fight, and Ironfist seemed to take an age to return to her side. As soon as he did so, she eagerly lifted a hand, preparing to signal the attack.

"Ready?" she asked him.

"Always, Commander," he growled back.

Grinning, Auriana shot a series of bright sparks into the air and threw herself forwards. At the signal, the jungle suddenly exploded with movement, her men racing as fast as they were able towards the Iron Horde outpost.

The initial ambush was successful, and the perimeter guards fell swiftly under the weight of the Alliance assault. The jungle came alive with the sound of fighting, as frantic Iron Horde war horns sounded in the air. Despite the success of the initial charge, however, Auriana quickly realised she had acted on bad intelligence. Based on scouting reports, she had been expecting a force of around four hundred Iron Horde orcs, and had accounted for their defensive capabilities with her superior numbers. Unfortunately, it looked as if Iron Horde force numbered far more than she had expected, and within a mere handful of minutes of fighting in the jungle, everything went to hell.

In the blink of an eye, it seemed as if there were orcs  _everywhere_ , and Auriana had her hands full trying to stay alive. She was also soon turned around in the repetitive green of the Gorgrond jungle, and for a frightening moment she lost all sense of direction. She had been separated from Ironfist long ago, though she had no time to find him when she was fighting for her life.

She had just slaughtered a ferocious Blackrock orc when one of the Iron Horde cannons boomed, and she was thrown heavily to the side as the earth exploded a mere foot from where she had been standing. She tumbled wildly through the air, and had barely come to a stop when a howling axe came flying towards her head. Auriana ducked, the blade missing the top of her hair by half an inch. As she rose back to her full height, she killed her orc attacker with a single punishing frostbolt, practically tearing his head off with the force of the blast.

Auriana fought her way determinedly towards the base, her heart pounding and her every sense on high alert. She hated fighting in the oppressive Gorgrond jungle, her heart practically leaping out of her chest every time an orc came from her. It was impossible to see more than a handful of feet ahead at any given time, and the raucous ambient noise of the teeming jungle along with the sound of battle made it very hard to hear. Of course, now that she knew the Iron Horde had superior numbers, her only chance was to get to the main outpost and hope that Gale could successfully execute his flank.

She moved forwards as quickly as she dared, trying to ignore the sense that the oppressive jungle was closing in around her. Separated as she was from the main body of her army, Auriana felt very alone, and she hoped she would come across another Alliance soldier soon. For all she could see, a giant could have passed within three feet of her and she wouldn't have noticed, and she absolutely hated it.

Her nerves sang, and she jumped out of her skin as she heard a sharp crack behind her. To Auriana's complete surprise, however, as she whirled she beheld not an Iron Horde orc, but rather a botani leaf shaper. He let out a strange, eerie yell in the botani tongue and sent a barrage of vines flying towards her. Auriana met the first few tendrils with quick blasts of frost, but in her surprise she missed a final strand that came from her left and tightened around her neck. She scrabbled at her throat as the vine tightened, cutting off her air supply.

Auriana threw out a hand to cast a spell to free herself, but she'd only just raised her arm when another vine came flying for her wrist. She was hoisted wildly into the air, her arms stretched painfully out from her sides as the vine around her neck pulled ever tighter. The jungle around her began to fade from lush green to grey black, and Auriana realised she was mostly likely going to die. Her rapidly failing consciousness conjured a sudden image of Varian, and she felt a pang of hurt as she imagined him finding out about her death.

For a second, Auriana actually blacked out, before the pressure at her throat and arms mercifully released and she was thrown heavily to the jungle floor. She hit the ground hard, crying out in pain as she desperately gasped down as much air as she could. However, despite every urge in her body telling her to stand up, Auriana simply lay on the ground, completely dazed by the lack of air.

Breathing heavily, she looked around for her rescuer, and was shocked to see a tall troll that she recognised as the commander of the Horde's Frostwall garrison removing his sword from the botani's neck. The last time she'd seen the troll, he had joined with her in assaulting Garrosh Hellscream. Auriana wouldn't have considered him friendly, exactly, but he certainly didn't seem to want her dead as much as everything else in the jungle currently did.

"Careful, little lion," the troll admonished her, his eyes sparkling with something that almost looked like amusement.

Auriana blinked, not entirely sure that she wasn't hallucinating.

"What…?" she whispered, but the troll gave no answer.

Instead, he grinned at her obvious confusion, his tusked maw spreading wide, and he disappeared into the jungle as quickly and silently as he had appeared. Auriana sat in stunned silence for a moment, before dragging herself to her feet with the aid of a nearby branch for support. She touched a hand to her raw throat, wondering why the troll had bothered to save her life. He could have just as easily run past and left her to die, and yet he had chosen to defend her. His strange behaviour was a matter for another day, however, as right now she needed to continue her push forward.

Auriana had barely recovered her breath when someone - or something - charged out of the jungle to her right. Her hands glowed white with frost almost instantly, and she was just a second away from burning the intruder out of existence when she recognised Delvar Ironfist. She dropped her hands, sighing, and he mimicked her action with his hefted axe.

"Don't sneak up on me," she admonished him, rubbing her injured throat.

"Sorry, I thought ye were Iron Horde," Ironfist said, gripping his axe edgily.

"Are you saying I look like an orc?" Auriana asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yer a bit short," Ironfist conceded.

He squinted and peered around cautiously.

"I hate this damn jungle," he said, wiping a thick band of sweat from his brow.

"You'll get no arguments from me," Auriana agreed. "Oh, it turns out that Vol'jin's Horde are here, too, along with the botani."

"Vol'jin's Horde  _and_  the botani?" Ironfist said, raising an eyebrow. "Well, that explains a lot. I thought there were more people in this jungle than there ought to have been."

"Yes," Auriana said. "On the bright side, I think only  _two_ of those armies want to kill us. Our Horde seem amenable to working together, which might make up for our numbers deficit."

"What makes ye think that?" Ironfist said skeptically. "They're Horde, ceasefire or no."

"Because their commander just saved my life," she said, frowning. "You'd have come across a corpse if he hadn't shown up."

Ironfist frowned as he noticed the impressive garrotte marks around her neck.

"Are ye okay?"

Auriana nodded reassuringly.

"Why would he save you?" Ironfist continued, his genuine surprise mirroring her own.

"I have absolutely no idea," Auriana admitted. "But right now, I'll take what I can get. Do you know if Gale's forces were able to engage the Iron Horde?"

"Yes," Ironfist confirmed. "But from the looks o' it they're havin' a hell o' a time gettin' past the Iron Horde cannon line. Turns out they had a whole bunch of 'em just waiting for us on the other side."

"Damn," Auriana swore. "Alright, well, we'll have to do something about that. Stay close."

Auriana began to run for the Iron Horde base, Ironfist close on her heels. Ignoring the pain in her neck, she charged a spell as she ran, calling both fire and frost to her hands. Her readiness proved to be fortuitous, for the moment she burst from the treeline, she entered a whole new world of trouble.

The battle was complete chaos, with Alliance, Horde, Iron Horde and even botani engaged in a ferocious four-way fight. Auriana unleashed on the nearest Iron Horde orc, a startled Blackrock warrior who barely had time to turn on her before his life was cut viciously short. Ironfist fairly threw himself into the fray, howling as he decapitated a botani leafmender and slaughtered an orc in a single, fluid whirl of his axe.

Auriana's adrenaline surged as she charged the Iron Horde lines. Without the restricting press of the jungle all around, she was able to exercise her abilities far more efficiently. It was difficult to pick targets in the pandemonium, but Auriana's work with Jaina had refined her magic to a degree she would have never thought possible. She wielded her frost magic like a fine razor, cutting down orc after orc after botani. The botani themselves added a strange, unpredictable element to the fight, willing as they were to attack anything that moved. The air was thick with flying spells, arrows, and foliage, and Auriana missed losing her head by inches more than once. Despite the chaotic free-for-all, however, Auriana was now in her element. She practically danced through the battle, a wild and savage grin on her face as she tore through the Iron Horde base.

She quickly saw why Gale was finding it so hard to bring the power of his forces to bear. Both Auriana's forces and Vol'jin's Horde had managed to fight into the base proper, but the cannons were still wreaking havoc among the outer lines. The Iron Horde had an array of six cannons, two on the lower part of the base, which were facing Auriana, and another four higher up, that had been turned on Gale's forces. Auriana realised that the guns were placed on moveable platforms, and could be brought around to repel an invasion force from any direction.

Auriana had decided that the simplest thing she could do was to remove the cannons as a factor in the fight, and with them the Iron Horde's most significant advantage. Unfortunately, the top line of guns were well defended, each emplacement with its own contingent of orc protectors. The lower cannons, however, were largely exposed, their defenders busily engaging the three pronged attack of the botani, the Alliance, and Vol'jin's Horde. Auriana's eyes narrowed as she sensed opportunity, and she began to fight her way towards the nearest cannon.

She summoned a storm of ice around her person, and blinked forwards. The first orc guarding the cannon simply vanished in a hail of frost, and her two companions quickly followed. They fell to the ground with a loud thunk, frozen solid. Auriana leapt up onto the cannon, her eyes searching the battlefield for the best target.

Auriana soon realised that she had a problem. Unless she could take out all the cannons very quickly, she would have to face either return fire from the upper emplacement, or a wave of orcs bearing down on her position. She distractedly slaughtered a botani that tried to wrest control of the cannon from her as she desperately sought a solution. Her gaze found the second lower cannon, and she suddenly realised that she if she could get someone on  _that_ cannon, they'd be able to take out the upper line in a single attack.

Unfortunately, there were no Alliance men near the second cannon, but there were a group of Vol'jin's Horde nearby, and amongst them the Frostwall commander. He had helped her twice before, and Auriana wondered if he would be willing to do so a third time.

"Commander!" she screamed, magically amplifying her voice in order to gain the troll's attention. "Man the cannon!"

The Frostwall commander whirled in surprise at her shout, his red eyes widening as he realised who she was. Fortunately, he was no fool, and he soon realised what she intended to do. He neatly slit an orc's throat, before leaping six feet straight in the air and clambering up on the cannon. He spun it on its platform, and soon both his cannon and Auriana's were pointing back  _inwards_  at the Iron Horde base.

Auriana triggered the cannon to fire, and a second later the Frostwall commander did the same. She ducked her head and clung to the side of the monstrous machine, feeling the hot air of the backfire wash over her skin. She had targeted the two easternmost canons, while the Frostwall commander took those to the west. She fired a second burst in rapid succession, and soon the entire line of cannons was reduced to nothing but rubble. A furious cry rose up from the Iron Horde, and Auriana knew she had made herself a very important target.

"Get out!" she hollered at the Horde commander, turning her cannon on his position and waving frantically.

The troll complied immediately, diving neatly to the side and sprinting out of the way on long legs. Auriana waited until he was clear, before she kicked the cannon into action for one final shot and leapt away. As she tumbled to the ground and began to run, she lobbed a conjured arcane bomb over her head and back into her cannon. It fired on the only other remaining cannon with a booming roar, only seconds before the arcane bomb detonated.

Both cannons vanished as the twin explosions lit up the jungle. Auriana was thrown to her knees by the blast wave, covering her head from the sudden rain of shrapnel that beat down upon her. She heard a great shout go up from the south, and she grinned as she recognised the sound of Lunarfall's horns bellowing proudly above the crash of metal and the screams of the dying.

With the cannons destroyed, the Iron Horde had little recourse but to engage all their forces in direct combat. Gale's force, now unencumbered, smashed into the Iron Horde base from behind. The botani had cut and run, realising that their efforts to turn the conflict in their favour had been in vain, and they would risk losing all of their numbers in a continued fight.

Auriana threw herself into the melee, and she was soon filthy with blood, sweat, and gore. She was beginning to tire, but she didn't care, relishing the thrill and relative simplicity of the fight. Her command was a complex issue, as was her ongoing work with Jaina. Her relationship with  _Varian_  was still complicated, but in a fight it was simple: kill or die. Auriana lost herself in the rhythm of the battle, gathering her power around her like an impenetrable shield of death.

After a long, drawn out battle, the sounds of combat around her slowly faded, and Auriana finished off the last Iron Horde orc in her vicinity. Somewhat to her surprise, she found herself standing on the upper part of the Horde encampment, near the destroyed cannon line. Below her, the Alliance forces took up a mighty roar, and the sound was soon deepened as Vol'jin's Horde joined in answer.

Auriana smiled with grim pride at the victory, though her moment of satisfaction was short lived. Almost as soon as the Alliance and Horde realised that they had triumphed over the Iron Horde, they noticed that they were now standing in the midst of old enemies. The current ceasefire between the Alliance and Vol'jin's Horde did not seem to be enough to overcome decades of tension and hatred, and the air was suddenly thick with a new tension. While each side may have been willing to temporarily put aside old rivalries in the heat of battle, Auriana was suddenly very concerned that the situation would devolve into a second fight.

The Horde warily moved to the west, while the Alliance troops stood to the east. Auriana didn't miss the way various hands tightened on weapons, nor the way that each side formed themselves into loose lines. Central to the sudden tension was Lieutenant Gale and a monstrous green orc. Unlike many of the other troops, the two powerful warriors had not moved, each refusing to be the first to turn away. They stood toe to toe between the two factions as Auriana began to walk casually forward, her arms held loosely at her side so as to reduce her apparent threat. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the Horde commander mirroring her movements, his clever eyes fixed on Gale.

Auriana approached Gale and the massive orc slowly, feeling hundreds of eyes upon her back. Each side stood on a knife's edge, and Auriana knew it would only take a single reckless mistake to trigger a faction war on Draenor. She saw Gale's blade twitch upward, saw the orc inhale, and she realised it had gone far beyond time to intervene.

"Stop!" she shouted, blinking forwards and summoning a powerful, shimmering barrier between Gale and his Horde counterpart. "Stand down, both of you. We've claimed an important victory over the Iron Horde here today, let's not ruin it with stupidity."

"Auriana…" Gale said edgily, gripping his dual blades tightly. "They're Horde…"

"I'm well aware of that,  _Lieutenant,_ " she said warningly. "But we're here to fight  _Iron_  Horde only.  _Stand down_. I won't ask you again."

Auriana had no love for Vol'jin's Horde, but the Frostwall commander and his garrison had fought well today. She wasn't going to do something so cowardly as to attack the Horde when they had shown a willingness to cooperate against their common enemy. Besides which, she owed the Frostwall commander her life, and she felt that turning on him now would be a poor way to repay her debt.

Gale looked as if he very much wanted to disobey her order, but he nevertheless turned and stalked away in a huff. Auriana watched him carefully, remaining at the centrepoint between her forces and the Horde. If anyone from  _either_ side decided to force the issue, they would have to go through her first.

"Start moving our forces north. We'll set up a staging ground around Highpass," she added quietly to Gale as he passed, her eyes never leaving the Horde lines.

The troll commander barked an order of his own in Orcish, and Gale's opponent stood down with similar reluctance. Auriana met his gaze, and he nodded once in thanks, before retreating back into the jungle with his troops. Auriana let out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding, as behind her, she heard the sound of her own troops filing quietly away. Auriana, however, stood still among the dead, watching the Horde retreat carefully to ensure that the commander's leaving had not been an elaborate ruse. It was a long time before she allowed herself to move, letting out a low sigh of relief as she silently turned and followed her troops back into the jungle.


	9. Varian

Auriana returned to Stormwind Keep four long days after Varian had last seen her, appearing in his study just before midnight. Her absence had only fuelled the sense of restlessness that had been growing in him over the past week, and Varian felt as if he'd seldom been so happy to see anyone in his life. His heart leapt as he saw her, only to fall a second later as he saw the angry purple bruises that marred the otherwise flawless silver skin at the base of her throat.

"What happened to your neck?" Varian asked by way of greeting, frowning darkly.

"You know how it goes. Another day, another enemy trying to strangle me," she said, shrugging.

"Tell me what happened," Varian demanded.

"What's there to say?" Auriana asked. "A botani leafmender tried to choke me to death. I was rescued. By the Horde commander, actually, if you'd believe such a thing."

"Were I able to dismiss a threat to your life so easily," Varian growled, storing away her revelation about the Horde for a later discussion. "I thought you had a bodyguard."

He could see from the predatory darkening of her eyes that he was on dangerous ground, but Varian would risk almost anything, including Auriana's ire, if it meant protecting her life.

"I do. We were separated in the initial charge," she explained. "It was four days ago, Varian, what else do you want me to say?"

"So you were out fighting alone," Varian said, his voice rising. "You're far too reckless, Auriana."

"I wasn't alone. Just… separate. And you're a fine one to lecture me about recklessness," Auriana snapped irritably. "I'll not have this conversation with you again, Varian. I know what I'm doing."

She was decidedly beautiful when she was angry, her eyes ablaze and the colour high in her cheeks, and Varian wasn't sure whether he wanted to shake some sense into her or kiss her.

"I don't mean to question your competence," Varian said, fear and frustration straining his voice. "You… you just scare me sometimes, Auri."

Auriana sighed, her face softening, and she walked over to catch Varian's hand. She lifted it gently to her tortured throat, raising her chin slightly to better expose the delicate skin.

"I'm here, I'm alive," she murmured. "I'm with you. You shouldn't worry so much"

Varian's hand was so large that her throat entirely disappeared into his palm, her steady pulse thrumming gently against his fingers. He knew that Auriana had meant to reassure him, but if anything the feel of her slender neck beneath his hand made Varian realise how easily it could be snapped. Certainly he could do it; a slight squeeze and a quick twist and she would be gone. Varian suddenly pictured an orc's fist in place of his own and he shuddered, dropping his hand and turning away. Auriana watched him curiously, and Varian was very thankful that she had no idea what was preying on his mind.

"Ah… how has your week been?" she asked, trying to lighten the tone of the conversation.

"Put it this way: I'm about one trade negotiation away from abdicating in favour of Anduin and joining you in Draenor," Varian said drily.

"Well… as much as I'd love to have you, let's not do anything drastic. Stormwind needs her king," Auriana said, her earlier irritation rapidly fading into warm affection.

"And her king needs you," Varian said lowly, pulling her forwards into a heated kiss. "But perhaps you are right. Nothing drastic."

"How about something… mildly ill-advised instead?" Auriana suggested, a slow grin spreading across her face. "You look like you need to get out of the Keep."

"Are you taking me back to the Brawler's Guild again?" Varian asked hopefully.

A good fight was exactly what he needed, both to expend his restless energy and to ward off his concern over Auriana's safety.

"I actually had something a bit more personal in mind," she said shyly. "Do you trust me?"

She held out a pale hand to him, her blue eyes bright with nervous excitement, and in that moment, Varian realised that there were few people in the world he trusted more than the young mage.

"Of course," he said, placing his hand firmly in her own.

His arm tingled with a sudden electricity as Auriana summoned her power, and in half a heartbeat, they had both left Stormwind far behind.

"We're in Lunarfall," Varian noted as they rematerialised. "You wanted to take me to your chambers?"

"No," Auriana said. "We're going somewhere else, but it's safer for me to teleport us here before making the second trip. Portals can be unreliable, as you well know, but I know the portal between here and Stormwind very well. Where we're going… not as much. I'd rather not be the one responsible for losing the King of Stormwind in some kind of dimensional netherspace."

She squeezed his hand.

"Close your eyes," she whispered.

Varian did as instructed, and once again he felt the now-familiar surge of Auriana's magic. After a brief second of nothingness, he felt the ground firm and reassuring between his feet, and he wondered where they now stood.

"You can open them," she said, gently releasing his hand.

Varian blinked, his eyes adjusting to the lower light as he tried to get his bearings. Auriana had brought him to a clearing of some sort, lined by a series of deep, shimmering pools of water. Dark green and purple leaves hang on long vines all around them, and the ground was lush with thick grass and wildflowers. The entire clearing was bathed in a bright golden glow, and strange, beautiful faerie lights danced among the trees.

"Where are we?" Varian asked.

"Still in Shadowmoon Valley, but a fair way southeast of Lunarfall," Auriana said. "I wouldn't risk taking you anywhere else. This place is called the Blademoon Bloom. It used to be controlled by a nest of botani and their genesaur, but we cleared them out long ago."

She kicked off her boots and wriggled her toes, smiling tentatively.

"I used to come here sometimes when I needed some space," she said. "I think it's the most beautiful place on Draenor."

"I'd be inclined to agree," Varian said, genuinely impressed.

He stretched up and brushed his hand through the low hanging leaves.

"Are we in any danger?" he asked, reaching out with his heightened senses for anything that may have been amiss.

"It's very unlikely," Auriana said reassuringly. "It's been months since we cleared out the botani, and the rest of Shadowmoon is well within Alliance or draenei control. At worse, we might run into some curious wildlife, but I figured that you and I were more than capable of handling anything we might come across."

"I see," Varian said distractedly.

He took a step forward, marveling at the natural beauty all around him. Varian was generally not aesthetically inclined, but he felt that there were few people who could remain unmoved by the shimmering magnificence of the Blademoon Bloom. He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. The night air was crisp on his face, and he smiled as myriad of fascinating alien scents tickled his sensitive nose.

He turned back to Auriana, wanting to offer his thanks for her bringing him here, and was utterly shocked to see her standing before him clad only in moonlight. Varian swallowed, hot lust racing up his spine as his pulse quickened with desire. Auriana smiled tentatively, trembling slightly in the cool air. Surprisingly, she made no attempt to cover her body as she stared back at him steadily. The soft glow of the Bloom had mixed with the bright starlight, and turned her pale skin a warm silvery gold. She looked entirely otherworldly, like an ancient goddess made flesh, and Varian realised that had never wanted anything more in his entire life.

"I… what?" he managed, unable to look away from her slender, naked form.

"If you catch me, I'm yours," she said, with uncharacteristic boldness.

Varian lunged for her even before she had finished speaking, but she had been expecting the move, and she danced back out of his reach. She grinned wickedly and dashed for the closest pool on soft tip toes, diving into the golden water with barely a ripple.

For his part, Varian could barely remove his clothing fast enough, yanking at his boots and cursing whoever had thought to invent cumbersome laces. The very moment he was free of his clothes, he followed Auriana into the pool, wading swiftly into the surprisingly warm water to meet her.

Auriana had surfaced about ten feet away, her dark hair swirling softly in the water around her. Her face was serene, but a sultry eagerness simmered deep in her eyes. Varian swam for her determinedly, his long arms covering the distance in barely any time at all. She didn't resist as he pulled her hungrily into his arms, groaning at the press of her slick breasts against the skin of his chest.

"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," he growled, burying his face in the curve of her neck.

The heady smell of her skin mixed intoxicatingly with the scent of the overhanging flowers, and it clouded Varian's mind with a savage longing. He bit gently at the soft skin of her shoulder and she gasped, arching her back and tangling her hands in his hair. Varian slid his hands to her waist and lifted, heart pounding with his desperate need to be inside her. She moved easily, practically weightless in the water, and Varian claimed her with a single, powerful thrust.

Auriana captured his lips in a desperate kiss as she wantonly wrapped her limber legs around his waist and lifted her hips to meet him. Varian clasped her waist with a single hand, his other sliding to the base of her neck and grasping firmly. Auriana clung feverishly to his back, her short nails digging long scratches in his skin as she writhed in delight. Varian was spurred on by the manifestation of her raw desire, his hand tightening on her neck as he moved within her with wild abandon.

Between the heat of her body, the taste of her skin and the potent smell of wildflowers, Varian's senses were almost entirely overwhelmed. It felt as if he and Auriana were the only two people in the entire world, and right then nothing mattered except for her. Every sigh, every kiss, and every movement of her hips made Varian's blood surge, and he was determined to show her precisely the depth of his feeling. He pushed relentlessly harder and faster, and soon she was gasping for air as she shuddered desperately against his chest.

"Varian!" she moaned breathlessly, throwing back her head as her entire body went rigid with pleasure.

The sound was music to his ears, and Varian roared his savage triumph to the endless sky. A distant wolf cried out in answer, the piercing howl mingling with the sound of Varian's own wild joy as the entire world shattered around him.

Afterwards, Varian and Auriana lay in the soft grass on the bank of the pool and stared up at the stars. Varian had slipped back into his breeches, but had eschewed his boots and shirt, instead enjoying the feel of the lush grass between his toes and the cool air on his damp skin. Varian was always happiest outside, and the Blademoon Bloom was about as far from the stifling stone of Stormwind Keep as one could get. His wolfish side was growling with primal contentment, and he couldn't remember the last time he had felt so truly free. Auriana seemed similarly content as she lay at his side, idly spinning a plucked flower between her fingers.

Together, they lay in peaceful silence for nearly half an hour before Auriana finally spoke.

"Was… was this alright?" she asked quietly. "I… I wasn't sure if you'd like the idea."

Varian sat up on his elbows, gazing down at her incredulously.

"Are you seriously asking me that question?" he wondered. "I was taken by the woman I… ah… by an unbelievably beautiful woman, and spirited away to a garden paradise to make love to her. Do you really think me dissatisfied?"

"No," Auriana said, smiling broadly. "But I thought I'd ask."

"Any time I get with you is time well spent, regardless of what we do," Varian told her. "Though admittedly, this was… particularly enjoyable. Why did you feel you had to check?"

Auriana considered the question thoughtfully.

"This… this is my first serious relationship," she said shyly. "I don't exactly know what I'm doing here, and I've certainly never tried to seduce someone before."

"Well, you appear to be a very fast learner," Varian assured her. "And you needn't worry about the fact that this is your first serious relationship, as you say. I wouldn't consider myself particularly adept where personal relationships are concerned, either."

"You were married," Auriana pointed out. "This isn't quite as new to you as it is to me."

"That's true," Varian said slowly, "Though I hardly think the experience made me any sort of an expert. I believe Tiffin often suffered for my lack of… romantic awareness, shall we say."

It was a casual comment, but Varian was well aware that it was one of only times he had ever mentioned Tiffin in front of Auriana. The young mage went suddenly still, her face contemplative.

"What… what was she like?" she asked cautiously.

"Tiffin, you mean?" Varian asked, starting at the unexpected question.

Auriana had rolled over onto her side and was watching him with a powerful, unblinking intensity.

"Yes," she said quietly. "I mean… you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I know you don't talk about it m…"

"She was kind," Varian interrupted swiftly, knowing that if he stayed silent now he'd probably never say anything at all.

Varian very rarely spoke of his deceased wife, but he felt that if he could talk to anyone, it would be Auriana. Her eyes had widened at his response, but her face was soft and sympathetic, and Varian felt suddenly emboldened.

"More… more than anything else I remember, she was kind," Varian continued quietly. "Smart, too, and beautiful..."

Auriana nodded encouragingly, and reached out to gently touch his hand.

"She didn't like me, you know, when we first met," Varian continued, smiling ruefully at the memory.

"That seems to be a common issue for you," Auriana said lightly, her lips twitching.

"Yes, well…" Varian growled drily. "Fortunately enough, she gave me a second chance. Tiffin… she had this… energy… about her, and she brought the Light to everything that she touched. For all the pain I suffered from her… her death... I am honoured to have known her. And that… is all I intend to say on the matter."

Varian closed his eyes and sighed, resisting the pull of old and bittersweet memories. Auriana let him sit in silence, her mere presence by his side a comfort.

"Why did you want to know?" he asked finally.

Auriana suddenly tensed, her jaw tightening, and she shifted away from him slightly.

"I… I just think about her sometimes. From all accounts, she was a remarkable woman. I'm not sure I can live up to that," she said stiffly.

"Are you… jealous?" Varian asked curiously, frowning.

"No," she said forcefully. "Of course not. I'm just not sure I want to live in someone else's shadow."

Varian considered Auriana carefully, and tenderly brushed a strand of hair back from her sharp, silvery cheekbones. Too late, he realised that he had never actually considered how Auriana might feel about Tiffin, and he wondered if his reticence to discuss his fallen wife had contributed to her obvious uncertainty in the relationship.

"Just because the sun is bright and beautiful, doesn't mean that the moon shines any less," he said firmly. "You and Tiffin may be as different as night and day, but that doesn't mean you are unimportant to me. Far from it, in fact."

Auriana nodded, but she still looked faintly uneasy, her beautiful face serious.

"Do you think on this often?" Varian asked, concerned.

"Not often," she said quickly. "But… sometimes."

She looked away, a tense silence building between them.

"I'm sorry," Auriana said suddenly, rising awkwardly to her feet. "I… I need to go for a walk, to clear my head. I'll just be a minute, and then I'll take you home."

She quickly pulled on her boots, leaving the laces undone, and looked down at Varian with a sort of confused introspection.

"I'm sorry," she repeated softly. "I shouldn't have even asked the question. It was presumptuous. She was your wife… the Queen of Stormwind. I'm… the woman you're sleeping with. I'm no-one. I can't compare."

She turned and walked away slowly, muttering to herself and distractedly running her fingers through the tangled strands of her still-wet hair.

"You could, actually," Varian murmured quietly, sighing as he turned his contemplative gaze back upwards to the impossibly starry canopy of the Draenor sky.


	10. Varian

Auriana returned Varian to his quarters very early in the morning. She had been quiet throughout the brief journey home, but he had been encouraged by the swift, tender kiss she had given him before she herself disappeared back to Draenor.

Varian found her damnably frustrating, though she now had a hold on him that he knew would not be easily broken. Auriana often reminded him of a flighty deer, ready to run at the slightest hint of trouble, and he was quite frankly surprised that she'd engaged in a relationship with him as long as she had. Sometimes he wasn't sure if she considered their relationship entirely physical, or whether she actually cared for him on a deeper level. Although Auriana had made great strides, she was still a very closed person, and he very much doubted she'd ever simply come out and tell him how she felt. Not, of course, that Varian was much better at declaring himself. He supposed he could simply  _ask_  her, but after the night's conversation he wasn't confident that he'd get any kind of clarification. In the end, Varian had lain awake, brooding about Auriana for at least an hour, before finally succumbing to a fitful sleep.

When he awoke in the morning, Varian had barely slept, but was nevertheless filled with a restless energy. He tried to keep his focus on his duties throughout the morning, but by the midday he had decided that he needed to do something physical to burn off the heated vigour that had built up inside him.

With nothing pressing demanding his attention in the afternoon, Varian decided to call a number of his best guards to the Stormwind arena for a sparring session. They followed him eagerly, always willing to test their skills against the legendary King of Stormwind. As he strode quickly through the corridors of the castle, Varian remembered the last time he'd fought in public had been he had taught Auriana the basic skills of hand to hand combat. For a brief moment, an image of the young mage flashed into his mind, but he forcibly dismissed it in order to focus on the task at hand. Varian was a grown man, and had no intention of pining after Auriana like a lovesick youth, not least because he doubted she'd have any respect for him if he did.

Once in the arena, Varian quickly gathered a dull practice sword and stripped down to only his breeches and boots. The afternoon sun was warm on his back, and he flexed his muscles happily as he made several practice passes with his sword. His guardsmen followed his lead, similarly stretching and moving in preparation for the fight.

When Varian was satisfied that he was sufficiently warm, he dragged the tip of his sword through the dirt to mark out a makeshift sword fighting ring about fifteen feet wide.

"The game is king of the hill," Varian said gruffly. "Victory by contact or by forced out. Any questions?"

The guardsmen shook their head as one. They were all well familiar with the drill, though they rarely had the opportunity to test themselves against Varian in earnest. He strode to the centre of the arena, raising his sword into a guard position.

"Who's first?" Varian growled wolfishly.

One of the taller guardsmen, a grizzled and experienced soldier named Garrick, was the first to take on the challenge. He charged Varian with savage abandon, crashing into the King with a powerful downwards blow. Despite Garrick's strength, Varian parried the strike easily, moving to the side with a dancer's grace. He grinned as he threw himself into the fight, relishing the way his muscles strained to resist each blow and the familiar smell of sweat and dirt. Varian was in his true element in a fight, and in no time at all he had forced Garrick out across the dirt line in a brutal show of superior strength.

"You're getting old, Garrick," Varian taunted, wiping sweat from his eyes as he prepared to face his next opponent.

"Perhaps, but I'm still prettier than you, yer Majesty," Garrick shot back, grinning.

Varian roared with laughter. His men had long ago learned that he didn't care much for propriety, and there were few things that he enjoyed more than banter among soldiers.

"What do you think, Ridley?" he asked, turning his attention to a pretty blonde guardswoman.

"I think you're very handsome, Your Majesty," she said cheekily, readily joining in the fun. "Sorry, Garrick."

"Well, I hope that won't stop you from trying to take me down," Varian said, beckoning her forwards.

"Of course not, Your Majesty," she said, darting into the ring with her sword raised.

Ridley was blindingly quick, but she lacked the physical strength to go blow to blow with Varian. Instead, she used her speed to strike at him and dash away in the blink of an eye. Varian was forced to change the strategy he had used to defeat Garrick, instead employing his surprising speed to finally score a successful contact against her chest.

"You're out," he said roguishly.

Ridley bowed out gracefully, shaking her head.

"I always forget how damn fast you are," she said ruefully. "Your Majesty."

"Next!" Varian demanded, his heart pounding eagerly in his ears as he lifted his sword once more.

The guardsmen continued to offer him challenge after challenge, but none of them were able to successfully dethrone Varian as king of the arena. Varian thrilled at the harsh burn of his muscles, and was thoroughly enjoying testing his skills against the variety of tactics the guardsmen brought against him. The fighting was doing wonders for his turbulent thoughts, and Varian thoroughly lost himself as he unleashed the wolf within.

Eventually, he had worked his way through the dozen guardsmen who had followed him to the arena without a single loss, but he still craved more.

"Two at a time," Varian commanded. "Come."

Despite some brief hesitation, the guardsmen came on as he ordered, quickly partnering up to fight him.

 _As if it would make a difference,_  Varian thought, entirely confident in his ability to overcome multiple foes.

As far as he was concerned, the soldiers of Stormwind were the finest in the world, but he knew they couldn't match his sheer talent and savagery in the arena. Even working in pairs, they all fell before the might of the King of Stormwind, though it was late in the afternoon by the time Varian finally called a stop to the fighting.

All the combatants were breathing heavily and fairly covered in sweat, including Varian, but spirits were high as the guardsman stood around to discuss the fight. Not a few of them made comments to Varian, praising his prowess and his ferocity, and he found himself explaining several of his more complex manoeuvres in great detail before the guardsmen finally took their leave.

Varian had vaguely noticed a large crowd gathering as he had fought, but he hadn't really paid them much mind. Now that he had finished the day's fighting, he turned his attention to the stands to observe the gathered crowd as they began to depart. A number of the younger guardsmen were in attendance, as well as a group of rogues from SI:7. There were even a handful of noblemen and women sitting in the upper stands, dressed as if they had come to watch a grand tournament instead of an arena scrap.

To Varian's immense surprise, Lord Rohas Anguile was one of those who had come to watch. His sharp patrician features were instantly recognisable even amongst the crowd, though he was accompanied by a lanky girl in a beautiful blue dress whom Varian couldn't identify.

As Varian moved to stow his weapon, Anguile made his way down into the arena, the girl following closely at his heels. Varian sighed discreetly, in no mood to deal with political machinations right now, but he supposed he didn't have much of a choice. He had never liked Anguile, considering him to be among the worst of what nobility could be, and he had liked the man even less since Anguile had made his enmity towards Auriana clear. Varian would be civil for the sake of peace in the Stormwind court, but he wasn't about to do Anguile any special favours.

"Well fought, Varian!" Anguile called as he approached.

Varian turned warily at the unexpected friendliness in the other noble's voice.

"Hello, Anguile," he said slowly. "What can I do for you today?"

"Oh, nothing in particular, we just came to watch the show. You were the talk of the castle this afternoon," Anguile explained smoothly. "By the way… Have you met my eldest daughter, Cathelora? Cathe, might I present the King of Stormwind, Varian Wrynn."

"Your Majesty," the girl said, with a flawless courtesy. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

She was very tall, with graceful, slender limbs and brilliant copper hair, and an air of wide-eyed surprise about her delicate features. Varian supposed that she could be considered quite pretty, but he found her somewhat lacking in comparison to Auriana's silvered skin and her clever, dangerous eyes.

"Ah… I assure you, the pleasure is all mine," Varian replied, nodding at her with more warmth than he actually felt.

The girl blushed prettily under his gaze, and Anguile smiled at her approvingly.

"Cathe will be eighteen in two weeks, I thought I would take the opportunity to start introducing her around the Stormwind court," Anguile explained. "And who better to start with than the King?"

Varian grunted. Anguile's intentions in showing off the girl were fairly transparent, and Varian didn't appreciate them one bit. He idly wondered whether Anguile hoped to marry her off to Anduin, or Varian himself. He supposed that Anduin was of an age where Varian should consider finding him a match, but if he  _were_ intent on arranging a marriage, he'd certainly do better by his son than Cathelora Anguile. The girl may have looked sweet and naive, but Varian wasn't about to forget whose daughter she was. He figured that she was either a pretty, willing dupe, or she was a snake just like her father. Neither option was particularly appealing, either for Anduin or himself.

Varian knew that he was quite unusual for a king, having never taken a second wife, and having been content with a single heir. In truth, he'd never really recovered from the loss of Tiffin, and he doubted he'd be so lucky in an arranged marriage a second time. His thoughts strayed vaguely to Auriana, though he knew if he were ever audacious enough to propose marriage to  _her,_ she'd run so far and so fast that he'd likely never see her again.

"I see," Varian responded, returning back to the conversation at hand. "Well, I hope you have an enjoyable birthday, Cathe, and that the court of Stormwind is to your liking."

He tried to keep his voice as neutral as appropriate, not wanting to give the girl any ideas.

"Father has promised me a lovely party," she said, her voice eager nonetheless.

"I should hope so," Varian said kindly. "Well... you'll both have excuse me, I'm afraid. As I'm sure you can appreciate, I need to go clean up."

He wiped a thick band of sweat from his brow to emphasise his point, and ran his hand through his unruly hair.

"Of course, Your Majesty," the girl said quickly, though Varian saw the briefest flash of disappointment behind her eyes. "I… I hope to see you around the castle soon."

 _Ah,_ he realised.  _So Anguile hopes to entice_ me…

"Enjoy the rest of your afternoon, my lady," Varian said noncommittally. "Good day."

He nodded stiffly at Anguile.

"Varian," Anguile said, his penetrating eyes thoughtful.

"Anguile," Varian replied, his face giving nothing away.

He turned away without another word, narrowly resisting the urge to shake his head as he collected his discarded shirt and strode swiftly from the arena.


	11. Auriana

Three days after Auriana had last seen Varian, she found herself camped out at the Alliance staging grounds in Gorgrond. As luck would have it, her attention at the front had been desperately needed, and she had spent the last two nights holed up in a small tent while the jungle rains poured down outside. Unable to return to Stormwind, Auriana had instead sent the King a quick personal missive apologising for her morosity the last time they had met, promising that she'd see him again soon.

Between them, the Alliance and Vol'jin's Horde had captured most of Gorgrond, save for the Pit, the Iron Docks, and Blackrock Foundry itself. Auriana was very proud of the territory her men had secured over the last week, and she was eager to finally test herself against the might of Blackhand and his forbidding Foundry. Of course, both the Pit and the Iron Docks would need to fall before the Alliance turned its attention to the Foundry, but they were in a good position to capture key positions over the next week.

Auriana had ordered her men to take a brief respite before launching an assault on the Pit in the coming days, and she had taken the opportunity to return to Lunarfall. While Auriana would never begrudge the necessity of her presence at the front, she had to admit she was looking forward to sleeping in her own comfortable bed. The last few days had been filled with hard fighting in the oppressive jungle, and Auriana welcomed a break as much as any of her men.

She arrived back at Lunarfall late in the evening, teleporting directly into the small study outside her bedchamber. Auriana sighed happily as she went to remove her protective armor, placing the muddied pieces of her set down on the table. Once divested of her shoulderplates, gauntlets, and outer robes, she moved towards the bedroom, only to stop abruptly in the doorway as she was filled with an overwhelming sense of disquiet.

Auriana had superb instincts, and right now every one of them sang caution. Her heart pounding with sudden urgency, Auriana turned nonchalantly back to face the study, but the room appeared entirely empty. Auriana frowned, but she trusted her gut far more than she trusted her eyes, and she very carefully summoned a magical shield about her person.

It proved to be a fortuitous decision as she was suddenly struck from behind. An orc assassin appeared out of nowhere, driving Auriana forwards and slamming her head into the thick oak desk of her study. Her head pounding, Auriana struck out blindly, summoning a great burst of flame. At point blank rage, she burned a hole right through the orc, collapsing him to the ground in a heap of charred viscera.

A second assassin unstealthed on Auriana's left, approaching her more cautiously than his companion. This orc seemed to respect her power far more than the first eager assassin, and he came on more cautiously. Auriana hurled a frostbolt in his general direction, but with her mind scattered from the blow to her head, she swung wide. The orc seized his opportunity and leapt forward, brandishing a viciously carved hunting knife. Auriana moved too slowly, screaming as the point of the knife entered her upper arm and thrust deep into the flesh of her bicep. The orc grunted in satisfaction, and made to withdraw the knife for a second, deadly strike. Auriana gripped his wrist doggedly, digging in her nails and holding him fast against her body. She flooded her hand with power, and frost raced down her arm and into his body. The orce grunted in shock as the ice flooded his veins, and he struggled desperately to pull away. Auriana was in a world of pain, but she refused to let go, determined to freeze the assassin solid.

Startled and howling with pain, the orc forcibly released his grip on the knife and staggered backwards, and Auriana saw her opportunity. In the orc's confusion, she ripped the knife from her own arm and struck like lightning, embedding the blade hilt-deep in his meaty neck. The orc's eyes widened in surprise as his lifeblood gurgled through the gushing wound. Auriana withdrew the knife and struck again without mercy, opening his throat from ear to ear. Warm blood gushed over her hands as the orc fell to his knees, mingling with the blood from her own wounded arm.

Auriana was breathing heavily, her shaky hands still clutching the knife. She heard the sound of frantic banging on the door outside, and she realised someone else in the building must have heard her scream. It appeared that the orcs had locked her inside, trying to prevent any hope of rescue. Given that she had teleported directly into the study, she hadn't had the chance to check the locks.

Auriana placed the bloody knife down on the table, and slowly made her way to the door. She opened it to see a snarling Lieutenant Thorn, her talons and teeth bared, and Delvar Ironfist with his vicious axe raised. Behind them stood an entire squad of guards, each and every one of them with their weapons free.

Ironfist roared in displeasure at the blood coating Auriana's arm and hands, and burst past her into the room with his axe held high. Thorn was slightly more measured in her movement, though she jumped in front of Auriana protectively and howled.

"Where are they?" the dwarf snarled.

"Dead," Auriana said wearily, peering around Lieutenant Thorn's furred bulk. "See for yourself."

Ironfist moved around the table to inspect the two orc corpses.

"Ha!" he growled proudly. "It'll take more than two orcs to take down our Commander!"

While Ironfist rifled the corpses for any signs of identification, Thorn's attention was focussed entirely on Auriana.

"You need to sit down," Thorn said. "That's a nasty wound. You'll need a healer."

Auriana didn't argue, taking a seat and probing the wound gently with her fingers. It was a deep wound, and the edges were ragged where she had ripped the knife from her bicep without caution. It stung painfully, but any pain from the injury was dominated by Auriana's fury. She felt more violated than she had when the Burning Blade had attacked Lunarfall. It was one thing for a group to launch an all-out attack on Lunarfall as a military target, but it was quite another thing to enter her room and try to kill her personally. Auriana shook with both rage and adrenaline, and she had a sudden desire to march right out to Blackrock Foundry and challenge Blackhand to single combat.

"How did they get past the wards?" Thorn asked worriedly, as a slender priest went to work on healing Auriana's wounded arm and cleaning the blood from her hands.

"They must have been carrying magical protection," Auriana said, gritting her teeth against the pain. "Wards aren't foolproof, they can be dismantled or broken."

"What were they after?" Thorn pressed.

"Me, I suppose," Auriana said. "Or… oh, damn…"

She shot to her feet, pushing the healer away and rushing into her room. At her personal desk, she kept a series of both official and personal papers. Auriana kept the most critical information in a magically protected safe. However, the safe's magic was difficult and time consuming to open, so she often kept less important documents, including personal letters, in the locked drawer of her desk.

"Dammit! They've been through my papers," Auriana swore, seeing the shattered desk lock.

She rifled through the papers quickly. Nothing seemed to have been taken, but that didn't rule out the possibility that the orcs had already relayed the information back to their masters by magical means. Fortunately, the magic around her safe had not been breached, and Auriana breathed a sigh of relief.

"Anything important, Commander?" Thorn asked.

"Nothing vital," Auriana said, frowning. "At least, I don't think they'll be able to get much out of the mess hall schedule, or my personal letters to Khadgar or Jaina. Our troop numbers, locations, and other critical information is still protected."

She didn't add Varian's name to the list of people with whom she corresponded, though several of the letters in the drawer had been from him. Auriana doubted that the orcs would find anything useful in such letters, but the threat to the secrecy of her relationship left Auriana thoroughly rattled.

"I've given orders to double the watch," Thorn said, "And I will station four guards outside your room this evening."

"Thank you," Auriana said gratefully.

"I'm stayin' in yer room tonight, Commander," Ironfist added.

"Er… that really won't be necessary," Auriana said, raising her eyebrows. "My chambers are now secure, and I very much doubt the Iron Horde will make another attempt on me tonight with the garrison on full alert. I would appreciate the removal of the corpses, however."

Ironfist looked as if he very much wanted to protest, but instead stepped out of the room to organise a clean up of Auriana's study. Thorn gave her a similarly skeptical look, but Auriana gave the worgen her most stem command face, and Thorn wisely remained silent.

It took some time to remove the bodies of the two orc assassins, but Auriana was finally left alone. She wasted no time changing into a loose fitting nightgown and crawling into bed, pulling the sheets right up to her neck. Both her arm and her head pounded, despite the healing she had received, and Auriana knew it would be difficult to fall asleep. She closed her eyes, trying to relax, but she was unable to shake the overwhelming sense of unease that overcame her as she lay alone in the dark. She was furious at being made to feel unsafe in her own garrison, but it didn't help the fact that every slight creak of the building sent a thrill of adrenaline through her veins.

She opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling and biting her lip. Auriana knew very well that there was only one place she would feel safe tonight, but she warred with herself as she considered what it would mean if she left Lunarfall for Stormwind. Auriana prided herself on her independence, and she certainly didn't want to go scampering off to Varian every time she got a fright. On the other hand, the thought of his strong arms and warm chest was undeniably appealing, and it didn't take long before Auriana had slipped out of bed and teleported herself directly to the King's chambers.

As Auriana had expected, Varian was fast asleep, his long limbs splayed wildly across the large bed. She approached him cautiously and softly called his name, hoping to gently rouse him from his deep slumber.

"Varian," she said. "Wake up."

As she reached the foot of the bed, Auriana stretched out her hand to gently touch his foot. Far too late, she remembered that while Varian slept like the dead, he had an uncanny ability to wake up almost instantaneously if he detected a possible threat. Her fingers had barely grazed his ankle when the King suddenly exploded into movement, lunging forwards and pulling her down towards him. Auriana cried out in shock and pain as Varian pinned her between his mighty bulk, one of his enormous hands closing over her throat.

"Varian!" she choked. "Stop!"

She fired a desperate bolt of fire from her left hand as her vision clouded, hoping to hit the nearest wall sconce. Fortunately, her aim was good, and the torch ignited, bathing the room in dim orange light. Varian's eyes widened in horror as he recognised her face, and his hands instantly relaxed. The pressure on Auriana's chest released as Varian shifted his weight, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light.

There was a sudden loud banging on the outer door of Varian's chambers.

"Your Majesty!" one of the guards called. "Your Majesty! Is everything alright? We heard shouting."

"I'm fine," Varian hollered back. "Just… just a bad dream. Return to your post."

"Are you certain, Your Majesty?" the guard shouted.

"I'm fine," Varian repeated firmly. "Goodnight."

The room fell silent, and Auriana heard the quiet footsteps of the guard walking back down the hallway.

"What were you thinking?" Varian demanded. "I could have seriously hurt you, and I never would have forgiven myself if I had."

"I… wasn't thinking," Auriana admitted. "I…"

"What happened?" Varian interrupted, pointing to her arm. "Did… did I…?"

Auriana looked down, and was surprised to see that the bandage on her arm was darkening with blood.

"Oh, no," she said quickly. "I was attacked by Iron Horde assassins earlier this evening. Our little tussle must have opened up the wound."

"There was an assassin in Lunarfall?" Varian said worriedly, clambering off the bed and gently pulling her to an upright position.

He moved away to find something to stem the bloodflow, returning with an old shirt that he quickly cannibalised into makeshift bandages.

"Two of them, actually," Auriana said, as Varian worked diligently on her arm. "They were waiting for me in my chambers when I returned from the front in Gorgrond. I think they were after intelligence, but they were more than willing to take the opportunity to try to gut me."

"They were in your rooms?" Varian said, pausing his handiwork to stare at her intently. "How on earth did that happen?"

"I have no idea. Suffice to say I'm not pleased," Auriana said darkly. "That's partially why I'm here. I think it's fairly clear that we have an intelligence problem on Draenor, and it's not my area of expertise. I was hoping to engage the services of SI:7's counterintelligence division to help me patch our weaknesses."

"Whatever you need, it's at your disposal," Varian assured her, his eyes dark with concern. "I'll accompany you tomorrow and give the orders personally."

"Thank you," Auriana said gratefully.

He gently moved his hands away from her arm, where he had doubled up on the bandages and stopped the bleeding.

"Why didn't you have this healed?" Varian asked.

"I did," she explained ruefully, "But I wasn't expecting to be thrown around the room when I came to see you. It was a fairly deep wound."

"I'm sorry," Varian said earnestly, gently kissing her cheek. "You know I never meant to hurt you."

"I know," Auriana assured him. "Really, it was my fault. I shouldn't have startled you out of sleep like that, I know you can be… edgy."

"Too long spent as a gladiator," Varian grunted.

He fell silent, his darkly handsome face lined with worry. Auriana watched him carefully, her eyes raking over every familiar crease and line of his face. Varian caught her eye and smiled uncertainly, raising an eyebrow.

"You said that SI:7 was only part of the reason you were here…" he said slowly.

"Well, I could have just come in the morning," she said. "I… I didn't feel safe at Lunarfall, so… I came here."

Varian leant forward suddenly, gently capturing her jaw in his broad hand.

"You came here," Varian repeated slowly. "You came to me."

Auriana smiled softly, leaning into his hand. She knew she wasn't a demonstrative person, but she wanted to impress on Varian just how much she wanted to be here, with him.

"I take it that means you'd like to stay the night?" he asked.

"Yes," she said tentatively. "If… if you'll have me."

"I'd never turn you away," he said emphatically. "Here…"

He swiftly pulled the sheets back, gesturing for her to get into bed. Auriana accepted his offer gratefully, rolling onto her good side as she laid back and rested her head on one of the thick, plump pillows. Varian crawled in beside her, cuddling up to her back and pulling her gently into his arms. He was careful not to bump her injured arm, and Auriana relaxed gratefully into the warmth of his powerful embrace.

"So... " Auriana said, sighing happily. "I got stabbed tonight. How was your week?"

"Not quite so eventful," Varian said drily. "The most exciting thing that happened to me was Anguile trying to marry me off to his daughter."

"What?" Auriana said, stiffening slightly. "Did he just come out and… ask you?"

"Not in so many words, but his intent was obvious," Varian explained. "The girl is just about to come of age, you see."

"Would… er... would you consider it?" Auriana asked, trying to keep her voice light and casual even as she felt a fierce rush of unexpected jealousy uncoil in her stomach.

"I have no desire to entwine the future of my kingdom with that man, and his daughter struck me as having all the personality of a wet blanket," Varian said.

There was a strange warmth in his voice, and Auriana wondered if he wasn't somewhat pleased at her not so subtle protectiveness. Auriana was surprised by her own gut reaction, but there was no denying that the thought of Varian with some pretty young noblewoman roused her ire. Despite her insecurity over Varian's greater experience in relationships, she had never actually felt jealous before, and she wasn't sure she liked the feeling.

"Besides, I have you," Varian added.

"I'm not exactly the belle of the Stormwind court," Auriana pointed out.

"No. You're just one of the most powerful women in the world, and one of the mightiest defenders of the Alliance," Varian said drolly.

Auriana blushed furiously at the compliment, and the knot in her stomach lessened slightly. Varian's hand slipped to her hip and he pulled her closer, kissing the soft skin of her neck.

"I don't want some court flower, I want you," he added fiercely.

"You have me," Auriana murmured.

"Good," Varian said huskily as he buried his face in her hair. "I'm glad you understand."


	12. Varian

When Varian awoke in the morning, Auriana was gone, though this time he had been expecting her absence. Given that Auriana was seeking SI:7's help for Lunarfall, they had agreed that she would leave early in the morning and return later to officially petition Varian for aid. While awaiting her arrival, Varian took the time to have breakfast and change into a set of comfortable court robes.

He had just finished his morning meal when one of his guards rapped on the door and announced Auriana's arrival. Varian immediately ordered the guard to enter, rising to his feet to greet her.

"Commander Fenwild is here to see you, Your Majesty," the guard said, ushering Auriana into the room.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," she said formally, obviously well aware of the guard at her back.

It was clear from her tone and posture that she was here in her capacity as garrison Commander. She wore a high necked, long sleeved leather tunic with tight black breeches and gleaming black boots, and her beautiful face was stern. She wore a well-wrought, ensorcelled dagger at her hip, and she practically radiated power and a warlike authority.

"Good morning, Commander," Varian replied in kind. "What can I do for you today?"

"I trust you received my request for SI:7 assistance yesterday," she said smoothly, as if she hadn't personally delivered her request by showing up in his quarters at midnight and spending the night in his bed.

"I did," he confirmed, trying not to smirk. "I'd be happy to escort you to Old Town myself, if you were amenable."

"I would be honoured," Auriana said blithely, though Varian could tell she too was trying not to smile.

Varian turned to the guard hovering awkwardly behind Auriana and beckoned.

"Summon my personal guard," he ordered. "The Commander and I are going for a walk."

* * *

Accompanied by a half dozen of his elite personal guard, Varian led Auriana down and out of the Keep and towards Old Town. Many of Stormwind's citizens stopped what they were doing to stare as the King passed, and a fair few of them waved or called out. Varian didn't often walk through the streets of Stormwind, but he always relished the opportunity to stand amongst his people. Auriana looked decidedly less comfortable with the curious glances and shouts being thrown their way, but Varian was proud to see that she was smiling tentatively at any Stormwind citizen that caught her eye.

"Where did you go this morning?" Varian asked quietly, so that only she could hear.

Auriana shot a quick look at their escort, but Varian ordered his guards to stand well back, and to keep their march at a respectful distance.

"Home," she said finally. "I needed a change of clothes."

"You went all the way back to Draenor?" Varian said, though he supposed that for her 'all the way' was merely the blink of an eye and a summoning of will.

"Ah, no. I returned my home in Stormwind, actually," she said. "I figured it was far easier journey to make."

"You have a house in Stormwind?" Varian said, genuinely surprised. "Where?"

"The Mage Quarter, of course," she replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Though 'house' is probably too generous a term. I hardly ever use the place, but I needed somewhere to stay when I wasn't gallivanting all over Azeroth."

"When did you buy it?" Varian asked curiously.

"Er… six years ago?" she estimated. "I can't honestly remember."

"How did you afford the place? The Mage Quarter is rather expensive, as far as housing in Stormwind goes."

"My parents left me a reasonable sum of money," Auriana explained. "I'm not excessively wealthy by any means, but I'm well off. To be honest, I'm away fighting so much that I don't really have  _time_  to spend most of what I earn… not to mention that shopping opportunities in Draenor are rather hard to come by."

Varian chuckled.

"You don't exactly seem like the shopping type, in any case," he added.

"Yes, well. If I had my way I don't think I'd ever wear anything other than old breeches and comfortable shirts, though it was… pointed out to me... that as a commander I can't exactly dress like a drunken sailor," she said, smiling. "At least not all of the time."

"You do look particularly lovely today," he told her, allowing his eyes to sweep appreciatively over her form from head to toe. "The roguish look suits you."

Auriana smiled happily, and Varian was overwhelmed by the urge to take her hand in his own. Not for the first time, he bitterly regretted keeping their relationship secret. Varian understood Auriana's reasoning, and would support her choice, but a large part of him wanted to have her standing proudly by his side, not hiding in the shadows.

"Well, we are going to treat with spies," she said, shrugging lightly. "I figured that I should look the part."

She laughed suddenly to herself, looking downwards and shaking her head, and Varian stared at her curiously.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I was just thinking how terrible I would be as a rogue. Subtlety isn't exactly my strong suit."

"An excellent point," Varian agreed, well aware of the kind of chaos she could bring to bear. "I think you are well suited to your craft."

"Admittedly, I don't think I could actually  _do_  anything else," Auriana said ruefully. "I thank the Light every day that I'm a mage. Could you picture me as… I don't know... as a warrior like you... or a baker, or a noblewoman?"

"To be fair, you  _are_ a noblewoman," Varian countered. "If not by name."

"I suppose that's true," she conceded, frowning suddenly.

Varian looked at her curiously. It had been some time since he had spoken to Auriana of her family history, reluctant as she was to ever discuss the past.

"You've never really explained why you've made no claim to your title," he said. "I know you have something of an aversion to nobility, but surely we aren't all that bad?"

"I can think of one or two nobles that I'm fairly fond of," Auriana admitted, smiling slightly. "It's just… the demands of that life caused my mother so much grief, and she worked so hard to distance herself from her father's legacy. As I've told you before, I'm perfectly happy with my life… and I suppose I feel like I would be betraying my mother if I were to take up the title she so desperately eschewed."

"I suppose I can appreciate that," Varian said.

"Would you prefer me as a duchess?" Auriana asked, looking up at him thoughtfully.

"Of course not," Varian said firmly. "I was only curious."

Auriana fell silent for a moment, her pale face contemplative, but Varian was soon able to engage her in pleasant, idle conversation once more. It was a lovely, clear morning, and Varian could think of few places he'd rather be than strolling through the streets of his beloved city with Auriana at his side. Together, they walk in swift lockstep through Old Town, and soon arrived at the headquarters of Stormwind Intelligence.

Varian ushered Auriana into the inconspicuous building ahead of him, and ordered two of his personal guards to wait at the door. The other four followed Varian and Auriana inside, their watchful eyes carefully scanning the room for any threats. Varian's elite guard trusted no one, not even SI:7, and only permitted Varian to be lead up upstairs by an SI:7 rogue after a thorough inspection of the premises.

Varian and Auriana's rogue escort lead them silently to Mathias Shaw's office, her dark eyes watching Auriana suspiciously. Varian supposed suspicion was a required character trait for SI:7 operatives, but he didn't like the way the woman looked at Auriana as if she was a potential traitor. Fortunately, it appeared that Auriana either hadn't noticed or didn't care, even thanking the rogue as she delivered them to Shaw's office.

Upon entering the room, Varian and Auriana found Stormwind's spymaster seated amongst vast piles of intelligence reports. Shaw rose to his feet instantly as they approached, his clever eyes sweeping over each of them in turn. He was a small, refined man, with a thick mop of chestnut hair and a carefully cultivated moustache. He was also a very difficult person to read, as befitted a spymaster, though Varian knew Shaw's genteel and unassuming exterior belied a cunning and ruthless inner nature.

"Your Majesty," he said, bowing swiftly. "What brings you to SI:7? I was not expecting your presence today."

"I need your help, Shaw," Varian said. "Or rather,  _she_  needs your help. Auriana Fenwild, might I present the Stormwind spymaster, Mathias Shaw."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Shaw," Auriana said formally, nodding her greeting.

Shaw eyed her thoughtfully, tenting his fingers on his desk.

"Auriana Fenwild. Commander of Lunarfall Garrison and magus of the Kirin Tor," he said, as smoothly as if he were reading from a report. "Daughter of Benedict and Alliana Fenwild, formerly Benedict Whitecrest and Alliana Saevian. Heir to the Saevian title and estates, though you have never formally staked your claim."

Auriana shot Varian a sidelong glance, her delicate eyebrows raised. Varian shrugged. Shaw was very good at his job, though even Varian was impressed by how much Shaw already knew about Auriana.

"In service to the Alliance military for the last ten years," Shaw continued. "You fought in the campaigns in Northrend and Pandaria, as well as against Deathwing. In particular, your actions in the Siege of Orgrimmar were highly praised by Alliance High Command. You have an exemplary record, though you also have a reputation for both audacity and savagery in combat. You were an unusual choice for the command of Lunarfall, given your relative youth, but by all accounts you have risen to the challenge. You are shorter than described."

There was a long moment of uncomfortable silence as Auriana blinked rapidly and tried to process Shaw's speech. The spymaster himself remained inscrutable, waiting patiently for Auriana to speak.

"Well... that was unsettling," she said finally.

"We have complete dossiers on all of the high ranking officers in the Alliance military," Shaw explained, walking around from behind his desk. "Yourself included."

"Your memory is impressive," Auriana said. "I didn't think I warranted such… attention."

"You are the Commander of Lunarfall Garrison, and you are currently overseeing the largest active deployment of Alliance military troops," Shaw countered. "It's my business to know who you are."

"I see," Auriana said flatly, her tone clipped.

Varian knew that the young mage was extremely uncomfortable, being such a private person by nature, and he decided it was time that he directed Shaw's attention away from Auriana herself, and on to the task at hand.

"The Commander has something of an intelligence problem in Draenor," he said. "We were hoping you might be of assistance."

"How so?" Shaw asked interestedly.

"I was nearly assassinated last night," Auriana explained, "And I've had ongoing problems with our intelligence over the last few weeks. For example, in our most recent engagement the Iron Horde strength was far greater than we anticipated, and there were also botani and Vol'jin's Horde in the area. I can't keep acting on bad intelligence, nor having assassins show up in my very quarters. Varian here was kind enough to offer me your services."

"Someone managed to penetrate Lunarfall as far as your quarters?" Shaw said. "I can see why you are concerned."

"Two someones, actually," Auriana said grimly. "I'm fortunate to be alive."

As she spoke, her hand moved unwittingly to the wound on her arm, and she winced slightly.

"So what can I do for you?" Shaw asked.

"I have no experience in counterintelligence," Auriana said. "I need your help to find the weaknesses in my intelligence networks… and identify any traitors, if any such people exist."

Shaw nodded seriously and walked back behind his desk, and indicated that both Auriana and Varian should sit down. Varian gallantly pulled out a chair for Auriana, which she accepted gratefully, before taking a seat of his own.

"I have some questions for you, Commander, if you don't mind," Shaw said. "This will help me figure out how SI:7 might best be of assistance."

"Anything for Lunarfall," Auriana said emphatically, though Varian noted the way her jaw tightened as she prepared to be questioned.

"What makes you suspect that there might be traitors in Lunarfall?" Shaw asked pointedly.

"Nothing in particular," Auriana said, "But we have had problems with traitors in Draenor in the past. I'm sure you're aware of the incident last year in which His Majesty was nearly killed after visiting Stormshield."

She looked across at Varian, and he knew she was remembering their misadventures in Tanaan Jungle. Varian, too, was unpleasantly reminded of how he and Auriana had first met, though admittedly he was strangely grateful for the series of events that had brought them together.

"I am aware," Shaw confirmed. "The traitor was executed soon after, as I recall."

"I killed him myself," Varian said darkly, "With more than a little satisfaction."

Auriana looked away, her mouth drawn into a thin line.

"So, Commander, with whom do you regularly associate? Are there any friends or family with whom you are in regular contact?' Shaw continued, seemingly oblivious to Auriana's disquiet.

"How is that relevant?" she protested, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"The unfortunate reality of counterintelligence is that everyone is a suspect. Those closest to you are in the best position to betray you," Shaw explained flatly.

"That's a rather grim view of the world," Auriana remarked.

"That's the reality of my line of work," Shaw countered.

Auriana looked over at Varian and sighed.

"I suppose I spend most of my time with members of my garrison," Auriana said slowly, as Shaw took careful notes. "There's Lieutenant Thorn, who oversees the day to day operation of Lunarfall, and Lieutenant Gale, my senior field officer. Delvar Ironfist, my bodyguard, of course… and Archmage Khadgar."

"I see," Shaw said. "What about here on Azeroth?"

"I occasionally return to Dalaran, so… Jaina Proudmoore. And… well, Varian, I suppose…" Auriana added.

"You are friends?" Shaw said, looking between them with great interest.

"After I saved His Majesty's life in Tanaan Jungle, we realised that we have a lot in common," Auriana said smoothly. "Whenever I'm in Stormwind, I usually make a point of visiting the Keep."

Varian was impressed with the utter lack of duplicity in Auriana's tone or face. Nothing she had said was technically a lie, though she had masterfully avoided to confessing to anything more than a platonic friendship. Shaw seemed to have bought her explanation, too, though he made a brief note in his file.

"I'm sure we can consider the King above reproach," the spymaster said, his clever gaze flicking briefly to Varian.

"I should hope so," Auriana said sharply. "Quite frankly, I don't believe any one of these people would betray me. Even if they had no loyalty to me personally, I am confident beyond a shadow of a doubt that they would only ever act in the best interests of the Alliance."

"While I appreciate your loyalty to your troops, Commander, I'm afraid they will still be targets of any investigation," Shaw said. "Your safety is of great importance, as I'm sure the King will agree."

Auriana looked as if she were about to argue, but she bit her lip and said nothing more on the topic. It was clear to Varian that she didn't particular like Shaw's apparent callousness, but she was smart enough to realise that the spymaster knew his business well.

"What else do you need to know?" she said, pointedly changing the topic.

Shaw took her lead, and began to ask a series of questions about Lunarfall's extensive intelligence networks. Auriana spoke for more than hour, until Shaw finally seemed satisfied with the information he had gleaned and placed his quill down upon the table.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Auriana," he said. "I will have two of my best counterintelligence experts sent to Draenor with all haste. With the information you have provided, I am certain we can get to the root of the problem very quickly."

"Two rogues?" Auriana said doubtfully. "That doesn't sound like enough. I have troops spread out over an entire continent and a dozen operations active at any one time."

"I assure you, my rogues are  _very_  good at what they do," Shaw said firmly. "This isn't my first mission, Commander. Trust me."

"A man who trusts no-one asks for trust," Auriana said skeptically. "How ironic."

"SI:7 has never let me down in the past, Commander," Varian interjected, reaching out to touch Auriana's shoulder reassuringly.

She looked across at him doubtfully, but conceded the point with a short nod nonetheless.

"Is there anything else you need from me, Master Shaw?" she asked.

"No. I will discreetly send my men to Draenor, and have them quietly begin their investigations," Shaw said. "I will have them contact you when they arrive. Light-willing, I should have answers for you within the month."

"I hope you live up to your reputation," Auriana said, rising gracefully to her feet. "And Varian's confidence. I will not continue to risk the lives of my men on poor intelligence."

"Nor should you have to, Commander," Shaw assured her, mirroring her movements. "SI:7 will make sure of that."


	13. Auriana

A week after Auriana had made her trip to Stormwind to engage the services of SI:7, she found herself standing on top of one of Gorgrond's great geothermal vents, looking down on the Iron Docks. A great force of Lunarfall's soldiers were hidden below and behind her, clinging to the cliffs as they awaited her orders to storm the Docks. If the Iron Docks were taken, Blackhand would be cut off from his allies in Tanaan, and the Foundry would be that much easier to take.

As promised, Shaw's rogues had made contact less than a day after Auriana had returned to Lunarfall. True to Shaw's word, they had worked very swiftly, already identifying three critical points of weakness in Lunarfall's intelligence network. Auriana had locked down any flaws in the lines of communication, and based on information from the SI:7 operatives, she had launched a number of small mission campaigns without further incident.

Today, however, was the real test. Capturing the Iron Docks was one of the most critical parts of Auriana's overall plan for the war, and bad intelligence could certainly spell disaster for Lunarfall's forces. She had asked Shaw's rogues to triple check all the intelligence, and they had only just confirmed the strength of the Iron Horde forces late the previous evening. Upon confirmation, Auriana had instantly mobilised Lunarfall's troops, sending them north through the Everbloom Wilds to take up a position just east of the Iron Docks.

There were four ships in the harbour, less than Auriana may have expected, but the tally matched with all her reports on the region. They weren't visible from above, but she knew there were a dozen druids in their aquatic forms currently floating in the water beneath the great iron dreadnoughts. Auriana planned to have them blow up the ships from below, leaving the Iron Horde with no chance of fleeing from the Alliance onslaught.

All that remained now was for Auriana to give the order to attack, but for the first time in her life, she found herself hesitant to engage in battle. Auriana had recovered well from the attempt on her life, and she was more than ready to return the favour to Blackhand's troops, but her concerns over Lunarfall's recent intelligence problems made her reticent. While Shaw's operatives had given their assurances as to the accuracy of her information, Auriana remained somewhat unconvinced. Unfortunately, she didn't have the luxury of waiting. Every day that Blackhand's Foundry stood, dozens of war machines were made for the Iron Horde, war machines that would mean the inevitable deaths of hundreds of Alliance soldiers.

Auriana sighed, and teleported herself back down the vent to meet her troops. Lieutenant Gale was there, as was Delvar Ironfist, and both men looked at her expectantly as she reappeared beside them.

"Give the order," Auriana said firmly. "Blow up the ships."

* * *

It was immediately apparent the moment Lunarfall's druids had done their work. The sound of four great explosions ripped through the air, along with the sound of rending metal and the scream of the Iron Horde orcs caught in the blasts.

"Go!" Auriana screamed, and with a great cry the soldiers of Lunarfall descended on the Iron Docks in an angry swarm.

They poured over the Dock walls, slamming into the Iron Horde soldiers and dockworkers in a wave of blue and silver. Auriana raced with the vanguard, her earlier hesitation fading rapidly as she threw herself gleefully into the fight. She felt the familiar sense of her dark rage rising within her chest as her blood fired, but despite what Jaina Proudmoore may have thought, Auriana had no intention of  _ever_  learning to use her fury as a weapon. She would rely on her wits and skill alone, and she would simply have to hope that it would be enough.

Auriana charged the nearest orc, a thickset dockworker twice her size. She blasted him out of the way with a powerful blast of frost, barely pausing to register his death before her savage gaze closed in upon her next target. She ducked under the swing of a mighty axe and slammed into a second orc at point blank range, freezing half his head solid.

Auriana pressed forwards, soon falling into a comfortable rhythm of destruction as she slaughtered any orc who dared to challenge her. She had been separated from Ironfist and Gale in the chaos of the initial charge, but she found it difficult to really care. Her entire world condensed into a myopic cadence of cast, kill, and move. She largely lost track of the position of her fellow Lunarfall soldiers, becoming a lone spectre of death in a sea of orcs.

It wasn't until she heard the terrifying boom of Iron Horde war horns from the north that Auriana was roused from her battle haze. She disposed of her latest Horde opponent, and turned her head towards the sound. Her mouth dropped open as she beheld no fewer than five Iron Horde warships closing rapidly in on the docks. Each ship was crawling with orcs, all of them brandishing powerful weapons of iron and screaming obscenities in orcish.

 _They must have been hidden on the other side of the Docks..._  Auriana realised, a mounting sense of dread creeping up her spine as she realised Lunarfall's intelligence had failed her once again.

"Alliance!" she cried, magically amplifying her voice. "Enemies to the north!"

The Alliance whirled on her command, reforming their lines as neatly as possible. For a brief moment, Auriana though that they might actually have a chance to engage the Iron Horde on two fronts, when the orcs on the warships unleashed a volley of flaming arrows. Dozens of Alliance men died instantly, and the fight dissolved into a disorganised rout as men and orcs alike fled for cover.

Auriana threw up a powerful shield over as large an area as she was able, deflecting an entire salvo of arrows away from her men. The arrows sizzled and burned up as they impacted the shield, disappearing in small clouds of ash. Her hands shook with the effort, and Auriana knew she wouldn't be able to cast such a powerful spell more than a few times in a row.

She also had more immediate problems. With the arrival of the orcish reinforcements, the orcs already on the docks fought with renewed vigour, and Auriana suddenly had her hands full with the orcs right in front of her. She pushed herself nearly to the extent of her abilities, but she soon realised that it wouldn't be enough. The Alliance were outnumbered two to one, and if something didn't change soon, their once promising assault would turn into a rout.

Auriana looked around desperately for a solution, and her interest was piqued as she caught sight of a row of iron stars. The explosive devices were positioned in such a way that if she managed to reach them and send one off towards the warships, she would be able to set of a chain reaction that would considerably even the odds in the fight. Her mind made up, she finished off another orc and blinked out of the melee, racing off as fast as she was able to the line of Iron Horde heavy armaments.

Unfortunately, a particularly massive orc had seen her make a break for the iron stars, and chased her down with a savage bellow. Auriana sprinted away as quickly as she was able, but the orc was much faster. Auriana felt a sudden, blinding pain her ribs as the orc slammed his massive fist into her side, and she went flying through the air. She hit the wall behind the iron stars with a mighty crack, opening a deep gash on the side of her head. Auriana desperately tried to get back on her feet, knowing that the orc would be bearing down on her at any second. Her vision, however, was terrifyingly cloudy, and she could taste her own blood as it dripped down her face.

She saw double as the orc loomed above her, raising his mace triumphantly. Auriana scrambled to gather her power, but in her addled state she struggled to summon the necessary concentration. The orc was well aware that she was dead to rights, but he was apparently the type of brute who liked to play with his prey. He pressed his massive foot down on her chest, crushing her already damaged ribs painfully. Grinning savagely, he swung his mace high in the air and let out a blood curdling howl. Auriana closed her eyes as she prepared to die, only to scream in terrible agony as the orc slammed the mace down on her splayed left forearm.

Auriana distinctly felt the bones break, and the orc laughed his triumph over her pain. Fury suddenly clouded Auriana's gaze, and she clung to it like a lifeline. In a single moment of pure will, she lifted her right hand and sent out a massive pulse of arcane energy, vaporising the orc in a single blast. Her task was not yet complete, however, and Auriana crawled her way towards the nearest iron star, clutching her broken arm to her chest. She collapsed next to the Horde weapon, gasping for air as she gathered her remaining strength. Auriana kicked out at the brakes holding the iron star in place, activating the weapon and sending it rolling down towards the orc warships. The last thing she saw was the iron star flaring to life as it gathered speed, before she rested her head back and finally let the darkness claim her.

* * *

When Auriana finally awoke, night had well and truly fallen on Draenor. She tried to sit up, but her head and ribs protesting so fiercely that she could only manage to let out a faint groan. Her vision was still foggy, and her broken arm throbbed terribly.

"Over here!" she heard someone yell, and she'd seldom been so glad to hear a human voice in her life. "Send a healer!"

Auriana heard the rush of footsteps approaching, and looked sideways to behold Lieutenant Gale. His face was filthy with sweat and dirt, but he broke into a wide grin as he saw her. He fell to his knees at her side and gently took her cheek in his palm.

"Commander!" he said, his relief palpable. "We thought we'd lost you."

"Did we win?" Auriana asked, trying to ignore the pain.

"Yes," Gale confirmed, "Thanks in large part to your trick with that iron star."

"Casualties?"

"We're still counting," Gale said, "But roughly a third."

Auriana closed her eyes.

"That's too many," she murmured.

"Well, let's not make it one more," Gale said.

He moved backwards to allow a graceful night elf druidess space to work. Auriana shuddered as the druid pressed her hands against the gash on Auriana's forehead. The night elf's hands glowed green, and the painful throbbing in Auriana's temples lessened slightly. She knew she'd have a concussion in the morning, but the healing spell was enough to clear her thoughts and allow her to sit up. The druid then turned her attention to Auriana's shattered arm, frowning as her pale purple fingers probed the wound.

"This is badly broken," the night elf said. "I'm so sorry, Commander, but I'm going to have to set the bones before I heal you. If I heal it the way it is now, the bones will knit in the wrong place and you'll likely lose use of the arm."

"Do what you have to do," Auriana said, waving her good hand dismissively.

"It's going to hurt," the night elf said reluctantly.

"Right now I'm now I'm not sure I'd notice more pain on top of what I'm already feeling," Auriana growled. "Just do it."

As it turned out, she was very wrong. Auriana made no attempt at pretence, allowing a scream to tear from her throat as the night elf forcibly snapped her bones back into place in a single, swift movement. She nearly blacked out from the pain, and was only able to remain conscious through an act of sheer stubbornness. As soon as the bone was set, the druid's hands glowed green once more, her long brows drawing together sympathetically as she worked. After the spell was complete, she tied Auriana's arm up into a neat sling, and helped the mage clamber awkwardly to her feet.

The world spun slightly as Auriana rose, but she certainly felt better than she had a minute ago. Her head was relatively clear, and her pain rapidly turned into anger as she looked out over the battle-scarred remains of the Iron Docks. There were bodies  _everywhere_ , both orc and Alliance, and there was a dark black crater where Auriana's iron star had detonated. The sight of so many dead filled Auriana with an implacable, smoldering rage, and she balled her good hand into a fist in a futile attempt to calm herself.

"We've got some of the other mages opening portals for the wounded. We're sending the dead and severely wounded back to Lunarfall, while the rest of us who are still able to fight will fall back to Highpass," Gale informed her, following her gaze.

"Good work, Gale," Auriana said sincerely, though her voice was tight with repressed anger.

"With respect, Commander, I think you should return to Lunarfall immediately," Gale said, bracing her shoulder worriedly.

"I'm fine," Auriana said dismissively, shrugging him away.

Gale and the night elf exchanged a look, and Auriana rolled her eyes.

"Well… fine enough," Auriana amended. "I'm not going back to Lunarfall. At least, not yet."

"Er… Commander?"

"There's somewhere I need to be," Auriana said bitterly. "This should have been a clean, decisive victory for the Alliance, and I intend to find out why it wasn't. I owe the dead that much. Gale, continue to oversee the retreat. I'll return to Lunarfall as soon as I'm able."

"Are you sure you are able to open a portal in your state?" Gale asked skeptically.

"Yes," Auriana said, with more certainty than she felt.

She gave Gale a reassuring smile, though it didn't quite meet her eyes.

"I'll be back shortly," she said, reaching for her power. "I promise."

* * *

Auriana reappeared in the mage tower in Stormwind, where most magical traffic coming in and out of the city was directed. She probably could have teleported directly to her destination, but in her wounded state it was easier to open the most well established portal that she could. She ignored the startled looks that the mages manning the portal room gave her, well aware that her entire face was covered in blood and her robes were dark with ash and dirt. Auriana strode out of the tower without comment, ignoring the pain in each step as she beat a furious path towards Old Town.

It was late twilight in Stormwind, and many of the city's citizens were out and about, enjoying the pleasant evening. Aurian attracted a considerable amount of attention as she walked, and several people even cried out in alarm. She paid them no mind, however, running on pure adrenaline as she marched through the city with a single minded purpose.

Despite her pain, Auriana made it to SI:7 headquarters in barely any time at all. She burst in like a furious whirlwind, pushing abruptly past the young guard who tried to block her path. At this time of evening, there were relatively few operatives still at headquarters, though there were enough for Auriana's purposes.

"Where is Mathias Shaw?" she demanded, turning a terrible glare on the nearest rogue.

The rogue obviously realised that Auriana was not someone to be trifled with, and leapt to sudden attention.

"He's… I..." she said, her eyes widening. "Uh... who might I say is asking?"

"Auriana Fenwild," Auriana snapped. "Tell him it's urgent."

Auriana fidgeted as the rogue scampered away to retrieve Shaw, tapping her foot irritably on the wooden floor as she awaited the rogue's return. She looked up as Shaw appeared at the top of the stairs, the younger rogue all but hiding behind the spymaster.

"Commander," Shaw exclaimed, a flicker of genuine surprise crossing his face as he beheld her disheveled appearance. "Should we talk in my office?"

Auriana stalked past him without a word, wincing as she climbed the stairs and made her way to the spymaster's rooms. The moment Shaw closed the door behind him, she whirled furiously, thrusting a finger aggressively into his face.

"You promised me my men would be safe!" she said accusingly. "Your rogues gave me actionable intelligence, and it was utterly incorrect!"

"What happened?" Shaw asked, his calm demeanour a stark contrast to her own tempestuous one.

"I was  _misinformed_ ," she snarled, "We walked right into an ambush at the Iron Docks. You promised that I could trust your rogues, that they were the best there were, and yet today we suffered a calamity for their lack of ability. As far as I'm concerned, they have as much blood on their hands as the Iron Horde."

"Commander!" Shaw snapped, his face colouring ever so slightly. "Watch your tongue."

Auriana sighed and shook her head, pressing a hand to her screaming temples as she willed herself to remain calm. Deep down, she knew it wasn't really Shaw's fault, but she needed an outlet for her rage. She rested back against Shaw's desk, drumming her fingers against the wood in agitation.

"The Iron Docks? I saw that report," Shaw said, more quietly this time. "It was good intelligence, I assure you... and recent, too. My operatives assessed its accuracy themselves, and I am confident in their assessment. Not to mention that there would have been barely any time between when my men gave you the report, and when the assault was launched."

"You're right," Auriana conceded. "I put together a strike force in a matter of hours. There wasn't any time for the Iron Horde…"

She cut off abruptly as the truth dawned on her, and she realised that her anger at Shaw had been truly misplaced. She deflated in an instant, all her fury spent.

"Oh, Light," she murmured.

"You understand what this means, of course," Shaw said quietly.

"Yes," Auriana said, though she didn't want to admit it. "Someone told the Iron Horde we were coming. We have another traitor on our hands."

Auriana sighed and buried her face in her good hand.

"Are you alright?" Shaw asked awkwardly.

"No," Auriana said shortly. "I'm not."

"At the very least, we are in a better position than we were this morning," Shaw said.

Auriana looked up at him disbelievingly, wondering how he could possibly think things were  _better_.

"How do you figure that?" she said, cocking her head to the side.

"We now know we are dealing with a traitor," Shaw said. "That's more than we knew before."

"You'll forgive me if I don't start celebrating just yet," Auriana said drily.

She sighed.

"I'm sorry,' she added. "And I'm sorry for bursting in here like... a hurricane."

"It's quite alright, Commander. Your passion for your soldiers is admirable," Shaw said.

He moved to sit beside her on the deck, stroking his moustache thoughtfully.

"Now that I know we are dealing with a traitor, it will change our approach considerably," he continued. "I will update my operatives on the situation and have them contact you shortly. In the meantime, however, I suggest you get yourself to a healer."

"Actually, I've already seen one," Auriana said.

"Oh."

Shaw blanched, and Auriana realised that she must have looked truly terrible.

"I see," she said, rising to her feet and moving towards the door. "Well, on that note, Master Shaw, I think I'll leave you to your work. Thank you… and once again, I apologise."

"Be safe, Commander," Shaw warned her, "And watch your back."


	14. Varian

Varian sat in his private chambers, enjoying a pleasant dinner with his son. He lounged back in his chair with a glass of good whiskey, listening to Anduin talk about his day. Anduin was an excellent conversationalist, and it was a simple pleasure to relax in a comfortable chair with a bellyful of succulent pork ribs as he listened to the Prince talk.

The bells of Stormwind Cathedral had just chimed seven o'clock when Varian's chamber was illuminated by a sudden burst of bright blue portal light. Varian wasn't initially concerned, knowing that there was only one person on earth who could directly access his rooms. However, his casual contentment quickly vanished as he smelled the distinct, acrid scent of gore.

He turned his head to behold Auriana, standing behind the dining table with her entire face covered in dark, sticky blood. Her left forearm was bound in a neat sling, and he could tell from the way she held herself that there was something wrong with her ribs.

"Hello, Anduin; Varian," she said lightly, as if she was unaware of her injuries and her horrific appearance. "Might I trouble you for a drink?"

Varian shot to his feet in alarm, with Anduin mirroring his movements.

"Auriana?" he said incredulously. "What happened? Here… sit down."

He pulled out a chair and ushered her into it with a steadying hand on her back.

"Anduin… would you mind?" he said, turning to his son.

Anduin looked rather shocked by Auriana's appearance, and Varian couldn't blame him, but he knew his son well enough to see that his son's interest was roused by the opportunity to use his healing skills.

"Of course," Anduin said swiftly. "That is, if you'd permit me, Auriana."

"You needn't trouble yourself, Anduin," Auriana protested. "Really. I appreciate the offer, but I've had some healing already. I wouldn't say no to that drink, however."

"Clearly not enough healing, from the looks of it," Varian said firmly. "Please, I insist."

He nodded to Anduin, and the Prince walked tentatively forwards to place his hands on Auriana's obviously broken arm. She accepted the healing with a reluctant sigh, but Varian distinctly saw her face relax as her arm was enveloped in a glowing white light.

As Anduin worked diligently, Varian went to pour Auriana a glass of firewater. Auriana normally preferred light elven wine, but from the look on her face it seemed that she could do with something stronger. The young mage was smiling at Anduin as they engaged in small talk, but Varian could see that her shoulders and back were rigidly set and her jaw was exceptionally tight. She was putting on an act for the Prince, but Varian knew there was something very wrong.

"What happened?" he repeated, placing the firewater down on the table beside her.

Auriana accepted the drink gratefully, draining half the glass in a single sip. She turned her keen gaze on Anduin, frowning slightly.

"I'm sorry, Anduin, I have a rather unfortunate habit of interrupting your dinners," she apologised, "But I need to speak to your father alone."

Anduin's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, clearly as impressed with Auriana's attempt to shelter him as he usually was with Varian's, but he nodded his agreement.

"Of course," he said, releasing his healing spell. "Let me know if you need me to look over your injuries further."

"I will," she said warmly. "Thank you."

"Goodnight, Father," Anduin added, giving Varian a very serious look as he made his way from the room.

Auriana watched the door out of the corner of her eye, and she waited until Anduin was well and truly gone before she finally spoke.

"We have a problem," Auriana said flatly, returning to her feet. "There's a traitor in Lunarfall."

" _What_?" Varian said.

"I ordered an attack on the Iron Docks, based on information confirmed by SI:7," Auriana explained. "We walked into an ambush. It was a bloodbath."

"Why do you suspect a traitor?" Varian asked. "Is it possible that the intelligence report was simply incorrect?"

"The information was only confirmed late last night," she said. "I acted on the report almost immediately, and we used portals rather than travelling overland. There is no way the Iron Horde could have arranged an ambush of those proportions unless they already knew we were coming. We managed to prevail, but only with some extraordinary luck."

"And what happened to you personally?" Varian said, wanting to know how badly she was injured.

Her arm was quite obviously broken, and she'd clearly sustained a head wound, but there was always the possibility that she had less obvious ailments.

"We were outnumbered two to one," Auriana said. "I went to commandeer an iron star, to even the odds, and an orc caught me. He threw me into a wall, cracked my ribs, and broke my arm. I managed to get him off me and set off a star, but I passed out for the rest of the fight."

"How long were you unconscious?" Varian asked worriedly.

"Three hours?" Auriana guessed. "Maybe four? The battle continued for some time after I lost consciousness, and it took my men awhile to find me."

"You're lucky to be alive," Varian said, managing to sound far calmer than he had expected.

"Yes," she said darkly. "I am."

"Have you spoken to Shaw? This is his problem as much as yours," Varian pointed out. "He often works late, I could escort you down there n…"

"Oh, believe me, Master Shaw is well aware of the issue," Auriana said sharply, cutting Varian off. "He'll have his operatives look into the matter. Not that it helps the men who died today."

She closed her eyes and breathed a heavy sigh, looking as old as Varian had ever seen her.

"You're angry," Varian said quietly.

"Of course I'm angry!" she snapped. "I can't keep watching my men suffer and die when it could be prevented!"

"Death is a necessary consequence of war," Varian reminded her.

"There is no honour in death by treachery," Auriana countered. "I have no illusions about the reality of war, Varian, but when I ask my men to take to the field, they need to know that their deaths will count for something. They need to know that there is hope."

Varian frowned and reached for her arm, but she pulled away to stand just out of reach. Her body was wracked with tension, and her eyes were bottomless pits of rage. Combined with the dark blood that stained her face, she looked entirely terrifying.

"I can deal with death," she added, "But I cannot abide traitors. Something you should understand better than most."

Varian frowned at the ring of truth in her words. He was no stranger to traitors and assassins. His father, Llane, had been assassinated by Garona Halforcen, and Varian himself had nearly lost his kingdom to the treachery of the black dragon Onyxia, in her disguise as Lady Katrana Prestor. He knew all too well the depth of Auriana's rage and pain, and he wished he could offer her more than base platitudes.

She finished her drink with a single, unladylike gulp, and placed the glass rather forcefully back on the table.

"Thank you for the drink," she said, stepping away from the table.

Varian recognised the telltale hum of magic as she began to open a portal, and moved swiftly to block her.

"Where are you going?" he asked urgently, gently grasping her shoulder on her uninjured side.

"I'm going back to Lunarfall," Auriana said, sweeping a long strand of her hair behind her ear. "Where else would I be going?"

"I thought… I thought you might like to stay here for a while longer," Varian said, struggling to keep his voice light and neutral. "With me."

He didn't know how to express to Auriana his fear for her safety. No matter how many times Varian had reminded himself that Auriana was strong, and smart, and capable, he couldn't quite shake the primal fear snarled in the pit of his stomach every time she left. The thought of Auriana alone in Draenor with a traitor on the loose chilled his blood, even though he knew she had entire army at her back. As far as Varian was concerned, the only way she would ever truly be safe was if she were by his side. Nothing else was good enough.

"Why?" Auriana asked, genuine confusion written across her face.

"You're hurt," Varian pointed out.

"It's just a broken arm and a bump on the head," she said, shrugging. "With the help of the healers, I'll be battle ready in a matter of days. The sooner we solve this intelligence crisis and take Blackrock Foundry, the more lives we save. I'll not delay the mission on my account."

"Nevertheless, you  _are_  injured," Varian argued, more forcefully than he had intended. "I'd much prefer that you stayed until you are completely healed. And… and then perhaps a while longer."

"I know you worry about me, Varian," she said consolingly, though there was a sharp edge to her voice, "But I have a job to do. Blackhand isn't just going to kill himself."

"No, but you don't have to kill him, either," Varian countered. "Certainly not with a broken arm and a serious concussion."

"Who else is there?" Auriana demanded. "Lunarfall is  _my_ garrison, and that makes Blackhand  _my_ responsibility."

She pulled roughly away from his grasp.

"I'm tired of this argument, Varian," she said, shaking his head. "I'm leaving. It's that simple."

Varian ground his teeth in frustration. It was like arguing with a stubborn mule. Auriana was entirely too reckless, and it was going to get her killed. He surged with protective adrenaline, and he had to clench his hands into tight fists.

"I forbid you," he burst out, though he instantly regretted the strength of his words.

"You  _forbid_  me?" Auriana said, her face twisting in sudden anger. "What are you going to do, Varian, lock me up?"

"I'm your king, I'll order you if I have to," he snapped.

Rationally, he knew he had no right to forbid her anything, but it did nothing to quell his overwhelming instinct to protect her, forcibly if necessary. His blood quickly boiled with fear and anger, even though he knew this was  _entirely_  the wrong approach to take with someone as stubborn and driven as Auriana.

"You'll order me? Really?" Auriana said, her voice icy. "You can't just suddenly throw your power around when it suits you, Varian. You certainly have no legal right to detain me."

"What do you expect me to do?" he growled. "You won't listen to reason."

"Reason?" she scoffed. "I'm not sure your rampant over-protectiveness counts as reason. I  _am_  going back to Draenor. You can find a way to live with that, or… or… well, I suppose that we'll be… finished."

Varian's heart froze. It had taken so much to win Auriana, and the thought of losing her cut him to the bone.

"I don't want that," he said, his voice dangerously low. "I... do you?"

"No! I… no," Auriana said forcefully, her blue eyes very bright. "Of course not! But… you need to learn to let go, Varian. Why is it so hard for you to trust that I can protect myself?"

"What do you expect, Auriana?" Varian said hotly. "How many times have you nearly died in the last two weeks, let alone in the last six months? You were nearly assassinated last week, and you've just walked in here with a broken arm and a concussion, looking like hell. You said it yourself, there's a traitor in Lunarfall. I don't care how skilled you are, you aren't invincible."

Varian moved so he was standing toe to toe with her, glaring down at her furiously.

" _Don't_  try to intimidate me," she snarled, staring up at him implacably.

"I'm not…" he protested, but she ruthlessly cut him off.

"That's  _exactly_  what you're doing, and you know it," she said. "This is my  _career_ Varian, it's my command. I'll do what I have to."

"Lunarfall isn't all there is in the world. There are other things you could do," Varian argued.

"But I love it," she said, her pale cheeks ablaze with rage. "And I'm good at what I do! I thought you understood that better than anyone."

"I do," Varian said. "I am a warrior first and foremost."

"You're also a hypocrite, then," she accused him. "It's all well and good for  _you_  to go off to war, but  _I'm_ supposed to play the good little girl and stay home? The Alliance… the Alliance is my  _life_! How could you  _possibly_ ask me to give up my command?"

Varian fell silent, knowing that he should never have said a word. Auriana put her good hand on her hips, a palpable fire in her eyes.

"Well?" she demanded angrily.

"Because I love you!" he shouted, the hot bubble of fear in his gut finally bursting to the surface.

For a single, electrifying moment, it seemed as if time stopped. Somehow Auriana's enormous blue eyes widened even further, as a deafening silence fell over the room. Varian swallowed nervously, shocked by his own abrupt admission. It wasn't that he  _didn't_ love her, quite the opposite, in fact. He had been certain of his feelings for quite some time, but it was quite another thing to actually  _tell_ her.

 _Or scream it at her,_  he thought ruefully.

"What?" she whispered, every last bit of fight gone from her voice as she took an uncertain step backwards.

"I love you," Varian repeated, realising there was little point in backtracking now. "I should… I should have told you earlier, but…"

He stepped back from her and ran a hand through his hair.

"You don't understand what it's like, Auri," he said painfully. "You show up here at random, smelling of blood, and pain, and Light knows what else, always with one injury or another... and I never know if each time I see you will be the last. It  _kills_  me, Auriana. I've already lost one woman that I loved. I don't know if I could survive losing another."

Auriana face had gone ghostly pale, and her expression was impossible to read.

"You… you love me," she repeated, as if she couldn't quite believe the words.

"Of course," he said tenderly. "Is it really that surprising? I've never met anyone who understands who I am the way you do. You're dazzling, Auriana."

"I… I don't know what to say," she stammered. "Varian… this… I... I'm sorry..."

She took another hasty step backwards, her face stricken, and Varian realised that she was opening a portal. Far too late, he lunged for her good arm, wanting to pull her back, but his fingers closed on empty air as she vanished without a trace.


	15. Auriana

Auriana reappeared in her own quarters in a blinding flash of light, and instantly knew that she had made a very bad mistake. Using magic required a great deal of concentration and physical fortitude, and Auriana had pushed herself well beyond her limits by sending herself all across the galaxy with a rapidly worsening head wound.

The floor had only just solidified beneath her feet when Auriana fell to her knees. The room around her spun wildly and Auriana's stomach churned. She grasped the edge of her bed and managed to stagger back to her feet, shaking wildly. She dragged herself towards her bath chamber, only just managing to pull herself inside before her body convulsed and she vomited.

 _You should have stayed in Stormwind, fool girl,_  she thought, far beyond being able to consider why she had fled from Varian's stunning confession of love.

Auriana realised that she was in very real danger of passing out and choking on her own sick. She had vastly overestimated her ability to keep functioning with a serious concussion, now that she was no longer running on pure adrenaline. No-one knew that she had returned to Lunarfall, and chances are they wouldn't come looking for her until it was much too late.

Her only chance was to get downstairs and alert someone to her presence before she fainted for the second time that day. Unfortunately, that meant dragging herself through the garrison town hall until she found someone who could come to her aid. Auriana's quarters were housed on the top level of the building, while her more senior officers had their own quarters on the second level. It was late night in Draenor, and Auriana only hoped that she would be able to rouse one of her men from sleep.

Concentrating as hard as she was able, Auriana staggered to her feet and fell back into her bedroom. She flailed about for anything to grab on to, anything that would keep her upright Her pulse pounded in her temples so hard that it drowned out all other sound, and the world was rapidly fading into shades of grey.

Auriana staggered out into the corridor, slamming her shoulder painfully into the wall. Her legs felt sluggish, as if she was crawling through mud, but she managed to pull herself along the hallway and towards the staircase. Auriana fell, rather than walked, down the stairs, adding to her already impressive collection of bumps and bruises. She lunged desperately for the closest door, far to weak to go any further. Her quaking knees finally gave out a foot from her destination and she collapsed, wincing as she hit the floor. Summoning the last vestiges of her strength, she slammed her fist into the door, praying it would loud enough to wake someone,  _anyone_ , from sleep.

 _If I die,_ she thought, as the world faded to black,  _Varian is going to kill me..._

* * *

The next thing Auriana remembered was a soft, golden light gently blooming along the edges of her awareness. Surprisingly, her earlier pain seemed to have faded, as if she were feeling it from a great distance. As she slowly came back to consciousness, she realised that there was a large, comforting hand upon her shoulder and she shifted towards it gratefully.

"Varian…?" she murmured, wondering how he, of all people, had been the one to find her.

"What?" a voice said from above her. "I didn't catch that."

Auriana blinked, and realised that it most definitely wasn't Varian who stood by her side. As her vision slowly returned, she realised that the figure was shorter and stockier, and lacked Varian's distinctive scars and penetrating eyes.

"Gale?" she said, squinting. "What… what… where am I? What time is it?"

"Good afternoon, Commander," the Lieutenant drawled. "It's a quarter after three, I believe, and you're in your own bed. You've been out for quite some time. Apologies for the intrusion, I just wanted to make sure you were still alive."

"Of course she's alive," another voice said, and Auriana suddenly noticed that there were also two druids in the room. "I healed her."

She recognised one as the young female who had healed her yesterday, though the taller male druid who had spoken she couldn't place. She knew his name, but her still foggy mind couldn't recall what it was for the life of her.

"What happened?" Auriana asked groggily.

She realised that someone had taken great pains to place her carefully on the bed and surround her carefully with comfortable pillows. Auriana blushed slightly, hoping that it hadn't been Gale who had put her there. Something about the idea of being in his arms was very disquieting, though she knew there was a fair chance that was exactly what had happened.

"You came tumbling down the stairs into the officer's quarters last night," Gale informed her. "Made a hell of a racket. Apparently, that bump on your head was worse than we thought, Commander. I alerted the healers and together we brought you back here. They've been working on you nearly all morning. You gave us all quite a scare."

"Thyanas should not have let you leave the Iron Docks as you were," the male druid said disapprovingly, looking over at his female counterpart.

Auriana realised that the younger female druid must have been an apprentice, and a new one at that. The druidess looked very abashed, and muttered a quiet apology.

"It wasn't her fault," Auriana said, as firmly as she was able. "I am the commander of this garrison, and she obeyed my orders to the letter."

"You were badly concussed. She should have identified the symptoms and detained you on medical grounds, no matter your rank," the druid said. "Speaking of… I think we can already answer this question, but have you experienced dizziness, lack of coordination, vomiting, or nausea?"

"Um… yes to all," Auriana said, as the harrowing details of the previous night came back to her.

"Any disorientation, irritability, or emotional instability?" the druid continued.

Auriana was then strongly reminded of the heated argument she had had with Varian, and decided that it most certainly qualified.

"Er…yes," she admitted. "It... probably didn't help that I opened several portals after being hit on the head."

The male druid gave her an extremely disapproving look, apparently not caring one whit for the fact that she was his Commander.

"I would like you on bed rest for three days," he said sternly, "I will send Thyanas to attend to you regularly, but you need to give the healing a chance to take."

Auriana nodded, knowing that she should do the responsible thing and obey the healer's orders. She'd already seen the results of the reckless choices, and she knew she needed to return to her full strength as soon as possible if she were to continue her assault on Blackhand's Foundry.

"And no magic," the druid added forcefully. "It places more strain on your body and mind than you may think."

He managed to offer her a respectful bow, though there was still more than a hint of reproach in his posture.

"Come, Thyanas," he ordered, and the two druids swept gracefully from the room.

Gale watched them go, smiling slightly to himself.

"He's not very pleased with you, Commander," Gale observed.

"He's also right," Auriana conceded. "I shouldn't have pushed myself that hard."

"Well, you'd best follow his orders, then," Gale said. "Thorn's got everything running smoothly, so you should be able to rest comfortably."

"Thank you, Gale," she said, closing her eyes. "I'll get right on it."

"Actually, before you do that, could you send a note to the King of Stormwind and tell him that he can stop sending messengers?" Gale added.

"What?" Auriana said, unsure if her concussion was causing her to hear strange things.

"He's sent eight royal messengers already today," Gale confirmed. "I don't know what the urgency is, but he's apparently very eager to get in touch with you. Another one arrived just before you woke up, with strict orders not to leave until he has received a reply."

Gale handled her a bundle of scrolled missives, each marked with Varian's distinctive royal seal. She opened them cautiously, keeping the contents carefully hidden from Gale's all too curious gaze. It turned out that Varian had sent an increasingly irate series of messages asking after her well-being. He didn't mention his startling confession from the previous night at all, but it was clear that he was very concerned about her ability to travel safely with a concussion and the haste with which she had departed his quarters. He'd been right to be worried, of course, given her collapse, though it appeared that he had taken her lack of immediate reply as a sign of her inevitable demise.

The first message was relatively formal and polite, but by the most recent message Varian had given up any pretense:

_Dammit, Auriana, if I don't hear from you soon, I'm coming to Lunarfall myself._

_I don't care how angry you are._

His fear for her safety was palpable, even through the paper and ink, and it seemed that the only thing stopping him from charging out to Draenor to find her was the risk such a drastic action would pose to the secrecy of their relationship. Auriana was deeply touched by his concern, though still faintly irritated by his fierce overprotectiveness.

"I may as well prepare a reply for the King now," Auriana said slowly, "While I'm still lucid. Pass me a piece of parchment."

Gale leaned over to her desk and grabbed a spare piece of parchment and a quill. Auriana dragged herself into a sitting position and penned a short note of her own.

_Varian -_

_You were right, I should have stayed. I'm safe, but I had a rough night._

_I'm in good hands, there's no reason to come to Lunarfall._

_I'll return to Stormwind as soon as I'm able._

_\- A_

Auriana hovered her quill over the parchment pensively, wondering if she should add something more personal after her signature. Of course, such a thing would be easier if she actually had any idea what to say to the King. It would have been hard enough to believe that he'd actually confessed his love for her  _without_  a concussion, let alone when she still had trouble focusing on the parchment less than a foot in front of her nose.

She put her quill down with a long sigh. Silently, Gale offered her some sealing wax, and she made her mark upon the outer part of the scroll. Auriana then handed both the seal and the scroll back to Gale with a slight smile.

"Will you hand this to the messenger for me?" Auriana said.

"Of course, Commander," Gale said, tucking the scroll into his tunic. "Is everything alright?"

"Er… yes. In the excitement of the last few weeks, I had forgotten to send His Majesty a number of reports," Auriana lied. "He's quite vexed with me, and you know how single minded our King can be."

It wasn't the strongest lie she had ever told, but Gale accepted it without question. Apparently, Varian's reputation was formidable enough that the story was believable. Of course, it was also possible that Gale was simply an excellent liar, and that his utter lack of curiosity was simply a cunning visage.

The thought of dishonesty turned Auriana's thoughts to the identity of Lunarfall's traitor. It hurt her head to think on it, but Auriana considered her Lieutenant thoughtfully as he placed her quill and seal back on the desk and made his way towards the door, wondering if Gale really was as open and honest as he appeared. Of course, he had most likely saved her life last night, but it occurred to Auriana that he could have done so to maintain his cover within the garrison.

 _Dammit, Shaw,_  she thought, cursing her own sudden lack of faith.

The spymaster had her jumping at shadows, suspicious of everyone around her. And yet… she had to admit, Shaw had a point. Those closest to her really  _were_  in the best position to betray Lunarfall. As her senior field officer in Gorgrond, Lieutenant Gale was better positioned than most to sabotage critical Alliance operations. Aside from a few minor issues, Auriana had not experienced any issues with her intelligence network until she had moved the bulk of her forces to Gorgrond, suggesting that Lieutenant Gale might be responsible. She suddenly realised that she knew very little about her junior officer, and she wondered whether she should have trusted him with her note to Varian. Of course, she couldn't ask for it back without arousing suspicion, especially given that mere act of concentrating right now caused her sharp pain.

"Gale…" she called out instead, stopping him a few feet from the door. "Where are you from?"

Gale paused, turning to look back at her curiously.

"Stormwind," he answered. "Born and bred. Why do you ask?"

"We've worked together for some time, and… well, you saved my life last night," she said, trying to smile nonchalantly. "I just realised I'd never asked you anything about yourself."

"To be fair, most of the time we spend together, we're in the middle of battle," Gale said, returning her smile. "Unless you'd like to change that..."

Auriana rolled her eyes, but she forced herself to maintain her smile. She wasn't good at this kind of subterfuge at the best of times, but Gale didn't seem to suspect that she was after anything more than a polite conversation. Perhaps he had figured that she was simply grateful for his help the previous evening.

"Speaking of battle…" she added. "I had always wondered why you joined the Alliance military, why you chose to serve..."

"What can I say?" Gale said, shrugging. "I wanted to travel the world, meet exotic women, and have a good time."

"I see," Auriana said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes a second time. "And how has that worked out for you?"

"I can't complain," Gale said, grinning broadly. "I'm here, aren't I?"

Auriana studied his face carefully for any possible sign of betrayal. She so desperately wanted to believe that Gale was who he appeared to be, a good-natured if incorrigible flirt with a talent for the sword, rather than a traitor to the Alliance. The Lieutenant simply smiled back at her, seemingly oblivious to her inner turmoil, and she found him impossible to read.

"What about you, Commander?" he asked. "Why do you fight? Why do you put yourself through all this?"

"For home," Auriana said quietly. "For the Alliance."

She snorted and shook her head ruefully.

"Because I don't know how to do anything else," she added.

Gale let out a booming laugh, and even Auriana had to smile slightly.

"Well, for my part, I'm glad that you don't know how to do anything else, Commander," he said warmly. "If there's nothing more you need, however, I should give this note to the royal messenger and make my way back to the front in Gorgrond. I'll keep an eye on everything until you're fighting fit again, don't you worry."

"Thank you, Gale," Auriana said softly. "And thank you for taking care of me last night."

"Rest well, Commander," he added, his expression at once both open and unreadable. "Lunarfall would be in great trouble without you."


	16. Auriana

Auriana followed the druid's recommendations to the letter, though she was soon thoroughly bored with her convalescence. She found the first day of bed rest to be a welcome change from her usually frenzied existence, but by the third day she was practically foaming at the mouth with restlessness. The druid apprentice Thyanas had returned several times each day, true to her word, and Auriana soon felt back to her full strength. Her left arm was still in bandages, but under the druid's watchful eye the residual symptoms of her concussion had rapidly faded

Auriana had managed to keep herself somewhat occupied by going over garrison reports, but most of her time had actually been spent brooding over Varian. After Gale had sent the royal messenger back to Stormwind, Auriana had received one final message from the King, a short note that simply read:

_I'm glad you're safe. You have no idea how much you worry me._

_I meant what I said the other night, too._

She hadn't heard from the King since then, and nor had she made any attempt to contact him, though the fact that her pre-emptive flight hadn't changed his feelings was distinctly comforting. Nonetheless, Auriana knew very well that she was using her injuries as an excuse to avoid returning to Stormwind. Deep down, she still couldn't quite believe that Varian cared for her so much as to profess his love for her. She also wasn't quite sure what she could possibly say to him in return after having run away in complete and utter shock. Admittedly, her concussion may have had something to do with it, but realistically Auriana knew that she'd simply fled from the power of her own emotions. Auriana had thought she might have been in love once, but anything she felt for her old friend Darion Hailey paled in comparison to how she felt about Varian. Her passion for the King was deep, all-consuming, and utterly terrifying. Part of Auriana wanted nothing more than to run to his arms and tell him how she felt, while the other was desperately afraid that of how vulnerable she would be after making such a confession.

Auriana was also still somewhat frustrated by their recent argument. On one hand, she  _did_  understand why Varian was so protective, but on the other hand, her furious pride couldn't shake the sense that he thought her incapable or unworthy. Their fight the other day had simply been the culmination of months of simmering tension. She never missed the way Varian's eyes darkened and his jaw tightened when she returned from battle, and on some level she knew their relationship would never last unless they could come to some kind of resolution to the problem. Auriana knew that she and Varian were very similar in a lot of ways, and both were so stubborn they were unlikely to give any ground. Her brooding inevitably became stuck at this point, as she struggled to think of a possible solution to their clash.

Mid-morning on the third day after Auriana's collapse, her reflective funk mercifully interrupted by a sharp rap on her chamber door. Auriana was already on her feet and dressed, and she made her way eagerly across the room, wanting to focus her attention on anything other than Varian. She opened the door to reveal a serious looking Lieutenant Thorn, accompanied by a messenger in Lunarfall livery.

"Morning, Thorn," Auriana said. "How are you?"

"We have a problem, Commander," the Lieutenant said without preamble, a slight snarl to her voice.

"Lieutenant Gale sent me from Highpass," the messenger said.

He was breathing heavily, his brow heavy with sweat, and Auriana was instantly on alert.

"What's wrong?" Auriana demanded.

"Blackhand is moving troops and artillery from the Pit to assault Highpass," the messenger said quickly. "The Lieutenant thought you ought to know."

" _What_?" Auriana breathed.

Highpass was the centre of the Alliance staging grounds in Gorgrond. It was more than capable of defending against a ground invasion, but was in no way equipped to repel a strike with heavy artillery. The Pit held the bulk of Blackhand's forces on Draenor, as well as the majority of his war machines. Auriana had intended to assault the Pit soon, but with careful planning and preparation to deal with the cannons. If her men stayed in the relatively unprotected Highpass, they would be slaughtered.

"How long?" she asked.

"They are still contained within the Pit, but they are moving swiftly. Our scouts estimate that they will be out of the Pit in two hours, and should reach Highpass in four," the messenger said nervously. "Do you want to sound the retreat?"

Auriana considered the question carefully, well aware that whatever decision she made now would likely put hundreds of lives at risk. Unfortunately, Auriana was also aware that if she ordered her men to run, they would have nowhere to run  _to_. Auriana had been on the back foot for quite some time, and she wondered if it wasn't the time to turn the tables. If Blackhand was currently moving his heavy cannons out of the Pit, then they would be uniquely vulnerable to a fast moving, unexpected assault.

"No," she said firmly. "We're not going to run, we're going to fight. If Blackhand is moving his artillery, then we have an opportunity. His guns are most vulnerable when they're on the move. We can move our forces to the Pit faster than he can get his  _out_. We can use portals."

She turned to face Lieutenant Thorn, her face determined.

"Have Ironfist and the company that returned from Talador last week report to the centre of the garrison," Auriana ordered. "I will take them to Highpass to reinforce Gale, and we will assault the Pit."

"You're going, Commander?" Thorn said worriedly.

"Of course," Auriana said. "I'm perfectly well, Thorn, you needn't concern yourself."

Thorn, apparently, felt very differently. The worgen's long muzzle drew back to expose her teeth, and she extended her claws. Auriana paid her no mind. She felt fighting fit, except for an occasional twinge in her arm, and she certainly wasn't going to let something as important as an assault on the Pit proceed without her.

"Send me in your place, Commander," Thorn insisted. "I can fight! We can't risk losing you."

"I'm sorry, Thorn, but I'm going," Auriana said firmly. "That isn't up for discussion. This is a delicate, last minute operation, and I need to oversee it myself. Have that company fall in while I armour up. We leave in half an hour."

* * *

Auriana opened a great portal to Gorgrond and lead her men through, reappearing at the back of the staging grounds. Highpass was in uproar, will troops racing everywhere as they scrambled to prepare for Blackhand's assault. The crowd parted as Auriana walked swiftly to the command tent, her heart already thrumming with the thrill of impending battle. Despite the gravity of the situation, Auriana found her spirits lift at the sound of clanging steel and shouted orders, and the heady scent of sweat and leather.

Gale stepped out of the command tent as she approached, his eyes widening in slight surprise.

"Commander," he said. "I thought you were still on bed rest. Are you here to coordinate the retreat?"

"I bought you an extra company from Lunarfall," Auriana explained. "And we aren't retreating."

Gale frowned, scratching his forehead thoughtfully.

"With respect, Commander, are you sure that you aren't still concussed?" he asked. "You know as well as anyone that Highpass isn't equipped to repel artillery."

"I don't intend to fight the Blackrock here," Auriana said sternly. "We can move faster than Blackhand's men. If we assault the Pit while the cannons are still moving, they won't have a chance to effectively strike back. With a successful counter offensive, we can protect Highpass  _and_  deal a significant blow to Blackhand's forces."

Gale stared at her curiously as he processed the idea.

"That's… that's brilliant, actually," he said, genuinely impressed. "The outpost is on full alert. I think we could have them ready to leave in half an hour."

"Good," she said. "Send out a few scouts to secure the path ahead. I'll have the mages prepare portals as soon as the troops are ready to deploy."

"You aren't going to fight, are you?" Gale asked, his concerned expression reminding Auriana strongly of Varian.

"Of course I'm going to fight," Auriana said flatly. "I wish everyone would stop treating me as if I were made of glass."

"I don't think you're made of glass, Commander," Gale said carefully, "But you aren't unbreakable, either. Promise me you won't fight at the vanguard."

Auriana considered him angrily. Frustratingly, he was probably right. Auriana felt strong, but her arm was still recovering, and she didn't know if her head wound would flare up again if she were to channel magic. She heard Varian's voice in the back of her mind, urging caution, and she reluctantly conceded.

"A compromise," she suggested, gritting her teeth. "I'll stay at the back, with the casters. Happy?"

"I think you've made a good choice, Commander," Gale said. "I've never understood why you don't fight with the caster corps, anyway."

"I can't let you warriors have all the fun at the front," Auriana said roguishly. "Get moving."

Gale smiled broadly, and for a second there was a real moment of camaraderie between Auriana and her Lieutenant. As he walked away to relay her orders, Auriana once again felt an overwhelming sense of disquiet and regret at the thought that Gale might be a traitor. Unfortunately, such suspicions would have to wait for another time, and she shook her head to clear the thought. Hopefully, Auriana's decision to assault the Pit had been so unexpected that the traitor would not have time to alert the Iron Horde of her intent, whether that traitor was Gale or anyone else on the front.

Auriana's troops were extremely well trained, and in no time at all they had organised themselves into immaculate battle lines. They looked fierce and prepared, and Auriana had to resist the urge to beam with pride as she moved to address them. Behind her, her mages began to open great portals to the north, wide enough to admit her men six at a time.

"Blackhand thinks to frighten us," Auriana called, her voice clear and loud. "He thinks that we will flee in terror before his might. That we will run like frightened children."

She paused, her eyes narrowing.

"We are the Alliance," she said darkly. "We do  _not_  run. Move out!"

* * *

Auriana was one of the last to emerge from the portals to the Pit. It was an odd sensation, given her usual position at the front, and she struggled mightily with the urge to throw herself into the already raging battle below. As she had predicted, Blackhand's troops had not been at all prepared for her assault. The Blackrock gun emplacements were spread out all through the open cut mine of the Pit, and the orcs had been thoroughly thrown by the sudden arrival of Auriana's troops. Lunarfall's soldiers had spread out throughout the Pit, their first priority to disable any guns that could be potentially turned on their comrades. It was a messy, disorganised fight, and only with great reluctance did Auriana walk away from the main battle to join her casters.

They had positioned themselves high up on one of the ridges overlooking the Pit, and were doing a frighteningly effective job of keeping the orcs trapped below. The warlock corps were casting massive storms of fire over the lower Pit, cutting off any chance of escape or reinforcement. Her shamans had summoned a pack of earth elementals who were hurling giant boulders at every orc they could find, and her mages were rapidly linking together to create devastation of their own.

Auriana moved to join her mages, and to her immense surprise they invited her into the circle. She hadn't expected that  _anyone_  would want to link with her after what had happened in Highmaul, but they apparently were willing to take the risk. As a precaution, Auriana refused to lead the circle, instead becoming just another link in the chain so that she could be easily ejected if her rage became too much to handle. She felt the familiar surge of temptation as the magic of the other mages poured into her, but her work with Jaina had made it much easier to resist the intoxicating flow of power, and she found that she was able to maintain an uneasy concentration.

Together, the mages worked together to create massive bombs of arcane energy, each as wide as a man was tall, and levitated them out over the Pit. This was a different type of fighting than Auriana was used to, and she felt distinctly out of place. It was far more deliberate and less frantic than fighting in the melee, but she had to admit that mages working in concert were capable of incredible things. The arcane bombs were absolutely devastating to the orcs in the Pit, and they soon fled before the powerful tide of the Alliance.

Auriana's casters moved lower into the pit as the Blackrock orcs began to cut and run for their lives, passing the smoking remains of the Iron Horde artillery. Auriana's troops had hit the Pit hard and fast, and the Iron Horde were given no time to organise an effective counterstrike. They were scattered and divided, and without their heavy gun emplacements they had no easy defense against the fast moving Lunarfall assault. As Auriana had planned, the Alliance were able to successfully exploit the element of surprise, and within mere hours Auriana added her triumphant voice to the din as she claimed the Pit for Lunarfall.

As the last of the orcs feel to the might of her troops, Auriana released herself from the circle of linked mages, and offered approving nods to both the warlocks and shaman who had aided in the battle. She was sweaty and breathing hard, but wasn't covered in the array of blood and viscera that she usually attracted in a fight. Auriana had always been something of a lone wolf when it came to battle, and she tended to fight much more closely to her enemies than mages traditionally did. Fighting with the caster corps had given her an entirely new perspective on the battle, and she had a renewed appreciation for the power of magic users working in concert.

She had one of her runners sound the horn to fall back, and the scattered Alliance slowly began to regroup and clamber their way out of the Pit. As she watched her men file out towards the waiting portals, Auriana found it hard to disguise the relief she felt at the successful operation. For once, it seemed as if nothing had go wrong, and that Lunarfall remained safe. Nevertheless, she kept a watchful eye over her troops' retreat, intending to personally ensure that each and every one of her men made it safely back to Highpass.

As it turned out, the last group of soldiers to make their way to the portals included Delvar Ironfist. It had been strange fighting without her death knight shadow by her side, and Auriana was pleased to see that he had survived the assault.

"We're the last group, Commander," Ironfist said gruffly. "But it appears we've lost Lieutenant Gale."

"Gale's  _missing_?" Auriana demanded, her worst fears being realised.

 _Had the Lieutenant finally made his betrayal known, and returned to his orc masters?_  she wondered, her heart filling with dread.

She quickly cast her gaze out over the Pit, but she couldn't recognise anyone who resembled Lieutenant Gale, and there was no one moving down below. From what she could see, the open crevasse was filled only with the remains of the Blackrock dead, the Alliance fallen having been evacuated with the rest of the troops for proper burial.

"He noticed something up on that opposite ridge," a heavyset dwarf sergeant supplied, pointing. "Near the main structure. We thought we'd cleaned them all out, but Gale went off to investigate."

"How long has he been gone?" she asked urgently.

"Er… I'd say about an hour, Commander," the sergeant said. "He left as the battle was windin' down. I'm sorry, Commander, I would've followed 'im, but we had our hands full with th' orcs."

Auriana sighed, following the line of the dwarf's gesture. She still wanted to believe that Gale was simply missing, and not a traitor, but it was very difficult to do so with the current state of affairs.

"Do ye want me to go after 'im, Commander?" Ironfist asked.

"No," she said. "I'll do it. If -  _when_  - I find him, I can simply teleport us both home to Lunarfall. You can leave with the others."

Auriana kept her tone carefully neutral. As of right now, only she, Varian, and SI:7 were aware that there was a traitor in Lunarfall. To her men, Gale was still a valued leader of the Alliance forces, and she was reluctant to shatter the illusion. There was always a chance that she was wrong about Gale, and Auriana would prefer not to damage garrison morale until she was absolutely sure, which necessitated her searching alone.

"Are ye sure?" Ironfist asked skeptically.

"Do you see any orcs left down there?" she asked. "I'll be perfectly fine."

Auriana gave Ironfist her most serious look, indicating that she would accept no argument.

"As ye wish, Commander, but we're stayin' here until you get back," Ironfist said. "You can take us  _all_ back ter Lunarfall."

Auriana conceded the point none too gracefully, but she nevertheless allowed Ironfist to stay as she closed her eyes and targeted the other side of the Pit with her magic. Auriana had never previously been able to open gateways to unknown locations, but a rather useful side effect of her frequent trips to Stormwind was that she was now rather handy with portals. Moreover, this was a very short distance to travel, magically speaking, and she was confident that she could cast the spell successfully.

She reappeared on the other side of the Pit in an instant, a light wind picking up the hem of her long robe as she peered cautiously about. Auriana sent up a series of bright blue sparks from her hand, so that Ironfist and the others would know that she was safe, before turning her attention fully to finding Gale. She walked cautiously towards the great fortress of iron that had been carved into the rocky side of the Pit, a spell hovering at her fingertips. She was on high alert, part of her suspecting that Gale might jump her at any moment, and even the slightest sound was enough to make her jump.

Auriana's suspicions were dashed mere minutes later as she finally caught sight of the Lieutenant, just outside the yawning iron maw of the Horde fortress. Her heart froze, and Auriana realised that she had been very, very wrong about the identity of the traitor. Gale was sprawled face down in the dirt, his sandy hair stained bright red with sticky blood. Auriana raced forward, her heart pounding as she skidded to a halt and fell to her knees beside Gale's unmoving body.

" _No_ ," she breathed, "No, no, no."

Despite the fact that she already knew what she would find, Auriana gently pressed a finger to Gale's neck, searching desperately for any sign of a pulse. Someone had dealt a mighty blow to the back of his head, and his shattered skull actually crumbled into pieces beneath her gentle touch. Auriana recoiled in revulsion, biting down the bile that suddenly rose in her throat. She yanked her bloodied fingers back as her eyes welled with hot tears. She sat back on her heels in utter shock, horrified that her last thought of Gale had been one of suspicion. The Lieutenant hadn't exactly been her favourite person in the world, but his dedicated service to the Alliance had certainly earned him a better end than to die alone with his head caved in.

Consumed by dread and disbelief as she was, Auriana was momentarily unable to do anything but sit still as she tried to control her desperate, heavy breathing. She paid dearly for the lapse a second later as something slammed into her head from behind, sending her sprawling face down in the dirt beside Gale's corpse. Thoroughly dazed, Auriana desperately tried to push herself back to her feet and summon her magic, but she was hit hard for the second time. She slumped back down, her strength fading, as the world spun wildly and rapidly darkened around her.

The last thing she remembered was a loud, triumphant grunt in orcish, and the sensation of a powerful fist closing over her ankle as she was unceremoniously dragged away.


	17. Auriana

The first thing that Auriana noticed as she came to was a dull pounding at the back of her neck.

 _Two concussions in a week,_ she thought ruefully.  _I'm not having very much luck._

The second thing she noticed, with considerably more alarm, were the shackles binding her wrists and ankles. She blinked, trying to gather her groggy thoughts, and realised that she was suspended from the ceiling in a hot, dank room light only by a singular torch. Despite the throbbing pain at her temples, Auriana knew she had to escape from this place as soon as possible, and she swiftly reached for the wellspring of her power.

Unfortunately, whoever had orchestrated the kidnapping obviously knew who she was, and had not used mere iron shackles to restrain her. She was instead bound by  _arcane_  shackles, powerful devices designed to contain mages who could not be held by conventional means. The enchantment on the shackles glowed bright white as Auriana strained to touch her magic, only to fail miserably a second later. She ground her teeth in pure rage, trying to quell the overwhelming sense of panic rising in her chest. Auriana had never known someone to escape from arcane shackles, and deep down she knew there was a very good chance she was going to die in this place.

Something moved to her left, and it was only then that Auriana realised that she was not alone in the room. She jerked violently away from the orc at her side, not that she could move very fair within her restraints. Oddly, however, the orc made no attempt to hurt her, instead reaching forward and touching her neck with surprising gentleness. Auriana felt the pain in her neck lessen slightly, and her head clear.

"What… why are you healing me?" she asked incredulously.

"Because I want you lucid," a grating voice said from the doorway, answering for the Blackrock shaman.

Auriana swung her head to the doorway, instantly recognising the heavily armoured orc and his distinctive, heavy hammer.

"Blackhand…" she breathed. "I'm in the Foundry…"

"Clever one, aren't you," Blackhand drawled.

He strode fully into the room, folding his arms across his massive barrel chest. He was at least three times as wide as she, and he smelled of death and molten iron.

"Forgive my slowness, I've not had the best day," Auriana quipped. " _Someone_  hit me on the back of the head."

"Believe me when I say your day about to get a lot worse, Commander," Blackhand said.

Auriana rolled her eyes dismissively, though privately she suspected that the Blackrock Warlord was very much correct.

"You obviously know who I am, then," she said.

"Of course we know who you are," Blackhand growled. "Why did you think I had my orcs take you? We've been after  _you_  for quite some time."

He captured her jaw in one meaty hand, turning her head as if inspecting a prize beast.

"Your reputation precedes you, Commander" he added. "It's amazing how someone so small and…  _misshapen_... could cause so much chaos amongst the Iron Horde."

"Misshapen?" Auriana protested. "To be fair, I'm not the one with a face like an elderly Tauren's undercarriage."

Apparently, the monstrous orc did not appreciate her fine wit, slapping her across the face so hard that she tasted her own blood.

"So, you've got a mouth on you," he said calmly, as if nothing had happened. "I'm going to enjoy seeing how long that lasts."

Auriana grinned savagely, belying her fear, and spat blood down on the floor at Blackhand's feet. She knew how torture worked. She'd even tortured a few people in her time, however reluctantly, and she knew that it was a universal truth that everybody talked. Whether it was in a day or in a month, Blackhand would most likely break her, and Lunarfall would pay the price.

With the arcane shackles around her wrist making escape all but impossible, Auriana knew her best chance was probably to anger Blackhand so much that he simply killed her outright. Worryingly, however, Blackhand did not seem to be at all angry. He stared back at her with eyes like magma, a slight smile playing about his thin lips. His slap had simply been a warning, in the same way a master might punish a disobedient dog. Auriana knew Blackhand to be a terrifying force of fury in battle, but here in his domain, he was calmer and cleverer than she had expected.

"You know," Blackhand continued. "I had initially ordered my soldiers to kill you, but I think I'll be glad I changed my mind. It will be a pleasure to break you, mage."

"You set a trap for me," Auriana realised furiously. "You had my Lieutenant killed."

Blackhand nodded, clearly relishing her obvious anger and her utter lack of ability to fight back.

"I will admit, we thought to catch you at Highpass. I did not predict that you would turn your forces on the Pit in such short order," he said, a hint of begrudging respect in his gravelly voice. "As for your Lieutenant, he was simply a convenient means to attract your attention."

"What do you mean?" Auriana asked, genuinely curious.

She figured if she could keep Blackhand talking, she might be able to discover the identity of the traitor in Lunarfall. Of course, the likelihood of her escaping to be able to  _use_ that information was remote, but Auriana would be damned if she would die without knowing.

"My orcs had orders to capture you. They saw an opportunity to exploit your weakness," Blackhand said, "And they took it."

"My weakness?" Auriana inquired. "And here I was thinking I was practically invincible. Do tell."

"We have studied you carefully for some time," Blackhand said. "You are reckless and fiercely loyal to your troops. Your true nature betrays you."

"You know  _nothing_ of my true nature," Auriana said, thoroughly disturbed by how much Blackhand seemed to know of her personally.

"Oh,  _yes_ ," Blackhand growled. "The Iron Horde received word of your  _particular_ talents. Kilrogg uses his blood magics to create berserks, but I never thought I'd hear of such a thing in one of  _your_  species, offworlder. That would be quite a thing to see."

"Take off these shackles and I'd be happy to show you," Auriana snarled, narrowing her eyes savagely.

Blackhand snorted.

"How stupid do you think I am, witch?" he asked. "I am Warlord of the Blackrock Clan, not some foolhardy grunt."

"Funny, I thought stupidity was practically a requirement of a position within the Iron Horde," Auriana said innocently.

This time, Auriana was prepared for Blackhand to hit her, though it didn't help much at all. Blackhand drove his massive fist into her side without a word, though Auriana was gratified to see rage flash behind his molten eyes. She grunted, the blow having knocked all the air from her lungs, but she forced her face into a grim smile.

"What do you want from me, Blackhand?" Auriana said, rapidly losing patience with the conversation. "I'm assuming you didn't go to all the trouble of capturing me just because you like to be insulted."

At that, Blackhand grinned, his mouth appearing to stretch wider than should have been natural.

"I don't want anything from you, Commander," he said mercilessly. "Save for your suffering."

He turned away and said something in orcish that she didn't catch, and a moment later a second orc entered the room, carrying a strangle cloth bundle under one arm. He laid it down carefully on the the table and unfurled it, revealing a frankly terrifying array of torturous devices. Auriana's pulse rate skyrocketed, but she forced her face to stay disinterestedly neutral.

"Commander, meet Throk'gar," Blackhand said. "We will talk further, but first I'd like for you to get better acquainted with my friend here."

Throk'gar was an absolute monster of an orc, even bigger than Blackhand, with the distinctive dark grey skin of his clan. He was bare chested, and had a series of thick black tattoos that snaked their way up his powerful forearms. The torturer was flanked by two guards, who stared down at Auriana with their similarly pitiless eyes. Evidently, Blackhand was taking no chances that she might escape.

"Strip her," Blackhand ordered.

The two guards complied without question, making quick work of Auriana's beautiful armour. They cut it away from her body without any regard, until she hung wearing naught but her undergarments. Auriana growled her fury as Throk'gar circled her eagerly, eyeing her the way a wolf might eye off a stray calf. He walked around behind her, and Auriana shuddered in revulsion as he ran a thick finger up the savage scar that ran down her back.

"Looks like I'm not the first to have a go at her," Throk'gar rumbled, snagging Auriana painfully by the scruff of her neck.

"You'll forgive me, but you do not in any way compare to the beast that gave me that scar," Auriana scoffed. 'I'm not afraid of you."

Throk'gar laughed, a sick, gurgling sound that set Auriana's hairs on end.

"I promise, little girl, you will be," he muttered, his rancid breath hot and wet on the side of her neck.

He stepped back, turning his attention to his implements of pain once more. Blackhand waved the shaman away, and took a seat at the opposite end of the room. His smoldering eyes came alive with undisguised bloodlust as Throk'gar selected a particularly nasty looking knife and spun to face Auriana once more.

Despite her bravado, Auriana found that her throat had gone dry at the sight of the torture device. She was no stranger to pain, but she knew that an expert like Throk'gar would be able to push her very quickly to the limits of her tolerance. He approached her slowly, playing with the knife in such a way that she could see every wicked facet reflected in the dull torchlight. Auriana knew that Throk'gar did so to increase her fear, and it was impossible to deny that it was working.

As the orc made took his final step, he lifted the knife to stroke the soft, exposed skin of her belly. It was a strangely intimate gesture, and it frightened Auriana to her very core. Throk'gar licked his lips, as if tasting her fear, and Auriana found that there was nothing she could do save for to mutter a quick prayer to the Light as she closed her eyes.


	18. Khadgar

A great blue-white light lit up the centre of Lunarfall Garrison as Archmage Khadgar appeared in a blaze of magic, startlingly several nearby civilians. He apologised with a rueful grin and a wave of his hand as he strolled through the main square, and soon the bustling garrison had all but forgotten his presence as they returned to work. It was late twilight on Draenor, and Khadgar couldn't help but to appreciate the way the dying light blanketed the garrison in tones of deep purple and violet. He had travelled to Lunarfall on something of a whim, but he knew that the garrison Commander would likely not protest his unexpected arrival.

The war in Gorgrond had largely been going well, and Khadgar wanted to speak to the Commander on a few crucial issues before she made plans for the final siege of Blackrock Foundry. It had been some time since he had spoken to Auriana, busy as they both were, and he was looking forwards to catching up with her on both a personal and professional level.

He made his way towards the main hall of the garrison without pause, where he found Lieutenant Thorn alone at her desk, practically buried under a pile of maps and paperwork. She lifted her head as he approached, and Khadgar was surprised to see how haggard she looked.

"Archmage," the worgen woman exclaimed, rising rapidly to her feet. "Thank the Light."

"That's a very warm greeting," Khadgar observed, raising an eyebrow. "Is something the matter, Lieutenant? Where's Auriana?"

Thorn looked around nervously, and only spoke when she was satisfied that they were alone.

"I… we think that Commander Fenwild is missing," she said quietly.

"What do you mean, you  _think_?" Khadgar asked curiously, a sense of dread rising in his gut. "She either is, or she isn't."

"We don't know for sure," Thorn said reluctantly. "Our forces in Gorgrond assaulted the Pit yesterday. One of our Lieutenants disappeared in suspicious circumstances, and the Commander went to investigate. Her bodyguard became concerned when she didn't return. When he went to find her, he found the body of Lieutenant Gale, and the Commander was nowhere to be found."

Khadgar frowned in concern. Auriana was vital to his future plans for the war, not to mention the fact that she numbered among his friends.

"Do you know where she has been taken?"

"No," Thorn said ruefully. "I sent a number of scouts out just before you arrived."

"When did you say she went missing?" Khadgar asked, trying to get as much information as possible.

"Yesterday, around noon," Thorn reported.

"Why did you wait so long to search for her?" Khadgar said sternly. "She's been missing for over a day at this point."

"Er… permission to speak freely, Archmage?" Thorn said nervously.

"I'm not military, Thorn, say what you like," Khadgar assured her.

Thorn paused, as if choosing her next words very carefully.

"The Commander… she can be reckless, and she cares little for her own safety. Please don't misunderstand me, she's an excellent Commander and she is devoted to Lunarfall, but she lacks caution. I don't doubt that if she thought she was on the trail of Lieutenant Gale's killers, she would have hunted them down without a second thought."

Thorn scratched her muzzle thoughtfully.

"She also disappears to Stormwind a lot," Thorn added. "I thought it possible that she'd simply returned home, and had forgotten to inform anyone at Lunarfall. The Commander very much does what she pleases. I wanted to make sure that there really  _was_  a problem before I investigated further."

"I understand," Khadgar said, though personally he would have raised the alarm earlier. "Are the rest of the garrison aware that she's missing?"

"Only the senior officers have been informed," Thorn replied. "We didn't want to create a panic. The only other people who know are her bodyguard, Delvar Ironfist, and a small number of soldiers who were the first to report her missing."

"That's a good idea," Khadgar said kindly. "The fewer people who know about this, the better, at least until we have more information to work with."

"We still need to inform Alliance High Command," Thorn said. "I think I've given her sufficient time to return. Something is most definitely wrong."

"I agree," Khadgar said, frowning. "You stay here and keep Lunarfall running smoothly. Let's not add to our problems. I will search her likely haunts, on the off chance she has simply forgotten to check in. If I can't find her, I will notify the King."

"Thank you," Thorn said gratefully.

Khadgar waved a hand, and summoned a glowing arcane servant into existence.

"If Auriana returns, or you need to contact me, simply speak to my servant," he explained. "It will relay the message immediately. I will be in touch as soon as I know anything."

He smiled reassuringly, and patted Thorn on her furry shoulder.

"Don't worry, Lieutenant," he said calmly. "We'll find her."

* * *

Khadgar's first destination was Dalaran, where he immediately sought out Jaina Proudmoore. He knew that Auriana had been spending time in the mage city of late, and he wondered if she might have returned there for some reason. Unfortunately, as it turned out, Jaina hadn't seen Auriana in weeks. Khadgar then had little recourse but to inform his fellow Archmage of the problem, with instructions for her to contact Lunarfall if Auriana happened to make an appearance. Jaina found the news just as concerning as Khadgar himself had, promising to offer whatever aid she could. It also seemed to Khadgar as if there were something that Jaina wished to tell him, but for some reason she visibly held back as she bid him farewell.

Lacking the time to dwell on Jaina's curious behaviour further, Khadgar teleported himself to Stormwind and made his way swiftly to the Keep. As a high-ranking officer in the Alliance military, and one of the leaders of the Alliance on Draenor, Auriana's disappearance was of great importance to Alliance High Command, and hence to Varian Wrynn as the ultimate leader of the Alliance military. Furthermore, Varian was probably better apprised of the current deployment of Alliance forces on Draenor, Khadgar's attention having been largely consumed by his hunt for Gul'Dan.

It was a late afternoon in Stormwind, and the throne room was bathed in a soft golden glow that belied the urgency of Khadgar's presence. The white stones of the Keep shone brightly, and on another day Khadgar might have paused to appreciate its beauty. Instead, he made his way straight for Varian, ignoring the guards that moved to intercept his path.

"Khadgar!" Varian exclaimed, rising to his feet and waving his guards off.

He was evidently surprised by Khadgar's arrival, but his deep voice was warm.

"What can I do for you?"

Khadgar looked around shiftily, his expression grave. He didn't want to start rumours about the missing Lunarfall Commander, knowing that it would cast serious doubts on the public perception of the Draenor campaign. Alliance morale was important for the continued war effort, and it all it would take was a single guard to spread a dangerous rumour around Stormwind.

"Is there somewhere we could talk in private?" he asked.

"Of course," Varian said, his expression darkening slightly. "My war room is currently empty. This way."

Both men remained silent as they walked swiftly down the wide corridors of the Keep towards the war room. Once inside, the King closed the door and turned to face Khadgar, folding his arms across his chest.

"Alright, Khadgar, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Have you seen Auriana lately?" Khadgar asked, keeping his tone light.

"No," Varian said cautiously. "Why do you ask?"

"She's not in Stormwind?" Khadgar pressed urgently.

"She hasn't been in Stormwind for days, as far as I know," Varian said. "I suppose it's possible… she is a mage, after all… but she certainly hasn't been here."

The King frowned, and there was suddenly a palpable tension in the air.

"What's going on, Khadgar?"

"I'm not quite sure how to say this, Varian," Khadgar started. "Commander Fenwild… Auriana… she's missing. We suspect that she has been taken by the Iron Horde."

" _What_?" Varian shouted, all his earlier cordiality gone.

To Khadgar's complete surprise, the King roared with savage, unbridled rage and slammed his fist into a nearby table, so hard that the wood actually cracked. Khadgar knew that Varian had a fierce love of his people, but he was completely unprepared for the violence of the King's reaction. He also knew that Varian and Auriana were friends, but Varian's reaction still seemed disproportionately furious. Khadgar filed the information away for later consideration, but right now he needed to keep his attention on finding Auriana.

"Where is she?" Varian demanded, walking about the room like a caged animal.

His massive hands clenched and unclenched as he paced, and Khadgar could practically count the bulging veins in his neck.

"We don't know," Khadgar said, hoping that his calm voice would do something to quell the King's fury.

"What do you mean,  _you don't know_?" Varian snarled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "How can you not know?"

"No one directly witnessed the abduction," Khadgar explained. "The Commander went to investigate the death of a fellow officer, and failed to return."

"Isn't she supposed to have bodyguards?" Varian said. "Where were they? I swear to the Light, Khadgar, if they left her out there alone I'll have their heads!"

"Varian!" Khadgar snapped, realising that the King's anger was spiraling out of control. "I appreciate your concern for the Commander, but you blowing about like an angry bull isn't going to help matters in the slightest!"

The King's eyes blazed and he grit his teeth, but Khadgar could see that Varian's more rational mind had taken the point.

"I apologise, Archmage," he said reluctantly, "Though have care with how you speak to me."

Varian sighed.

"Surely you must have  _some_  idea of her whereabouts?" he asked.

"She has most likely been taken by the Blackrock orcs," Khadgar explained. "She was in the Pit when she was taken."

"How can you be sure that she isn't… that she isn't… dead?" Varian asked quietly, and Khadgar was surprised at the thick fear evident in his voice.

Khadgar now strongly suspected that there was far more between Auriana and Varian than simple friendship, and he wondered how he had never noticed it before. Varian wasn't reacting like a King to the loss of one of his high-ranking soldiers. There was a distinctly personal tone to Varian's fear and anger, though Khadgar had no intention of confirming his hunch. Varian was as entitled to his secrets as any man, and right now Khadgar had larger concerns.

"We can't," Khadgar answered honestly, and Varian closed his eyes. "Though I am confident that she lives. If the Iron Horde had killed the Commander of the Alliance forces on Draenor, they would have made it known. She's been a considerable thorn in their sides for some time now."

"She's very good at what she does," Varian confirmed, a hint of savage pride in his tone.

"I think it far more likely that she is being held, alive, in Blackrock Foundry," Khadgar added.

"Where she's most likely being tortured by Blackhand," Varian said, his lips drawing into a thin line. "We have to rescue her, Khadgar. We should mobilise Lunarfall's troops and storm the Foundry immediately."

"Varian, we can't do that," Khadgar said cautiously. "We don't know for sure that she's even  _there_. Not to mention the fact that Lunarfall cannot assault the Foundry without significant casualties right now. Blackhand is well prepared to defend a siege, and we cannot attack him without considerable planning. I know you've seen the reports. You can't risk an entire garrison and the course of the war for the life of a single woman."

From the look on the King's face, Khadgar realised that was exactly what Varian was prepared to do. Once again, Khadgar had the distinct feeling that he'd underestimated whatever there was between the King and the Commander.

"So what would you have me do, Khadgar?" Varian roared. "She… she  _cannot_  die."

"We wait until we have confirmation of where she is," Khadgar counselled, trying to ignore the way Varian's hands were shaking with rage. "Either by ransom or through the use of Lunarfall intelligence. Once we have that information, we can make a plan."

Varian shot him a hateful look, but some of the fight left his shoulders, and he looked almost as old as Khadgar himself.

"Very well," he agreed, "But know this, Khadgar, if you haven't located her within two days' time, I'll have the Alliance tear apart every Iron Horde fortress on Draenor until she's found, consequences be damned."


	19. Auriana

Auriana lost track of time as she hung in Blackhand's dimly lit dungeon, her entire world having been reduced to nothing but pain. Everything  _hurt_ , from the agonising pull of the shackles against her suspended shoulders to the deep rends Throk'gar had torn in the sensitive skin of her bare feet. Blackhand and his monstrous torturer had given her no respite, tormenting her into unconsciousness again and again, before having a shaman revive and heal her before the cycle began once more. As Throk'gar had pointed out, with impeccable logic, there was no point in torturing someone if they weren't awake to notice.

The pattern of pain and brief respite had repeated itself over more times than Auriana could count, though she had noticed that it took the shaman longer to heal the damage each time. Throk'gar was nothing if not dedicated to his work, and he took great pleasure in finding new and creative ways to make her scream. For her part, Auriana didn't bother trying to remain quiet and stoic, instead swearing obscenities at Throk'gar with a ferocity that a gladiator would have envied.

Channeling her agony into a stream of vitriol had helped Auriana to stay more lucid than she had expected, but she knew that she was ultimately fighting a losing battle. More importantly, her anger had kept her from saying something she might have regretted, though strangely neither Blackhand nor Throk'gar seemed to care for whatever she might have to say. They never asked her any questions, probed for information, nor responded to her taunts in any way, and it seemed that all they really wanted to do was make her suffer.

Auriana's only reprieve thus far had been the few hours they had left her alone at night, hanging from the ceiling in pitch darkness with nothing but the acrid stench of her own blood for company. She fought against the pain and misery as much as she was able, but she knew it was only a matter of time before she would start to lose her mind. At first, she had latched on to memories of Varian's face as a means of maintaining her sanity, but with each cut, burn, and shock he inevitably slipped a little further from her mind.

After one particularly brutal session, during which Throk'gar had flogged her within an inch of her life, Auriana hung limp and shattered in her cursed shackles. Throk'gar crowed his satisfaction as he admired his handiwork on her ruined back, pressing his fingers into the tortured flesh to make her scream one last time. Unlike before, however, he did not call over a shaman to heal her, instead simply exiting the room without a word.

Auriana watched him go, at once relieved and terrified by his departure. It was a small comfort to have been left alone, even though she hadn't been healed, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the sudden change in routine heralded something far worse than another round of torture.

Her moment of respite proved to be short lived, however, as the door swung open and Blackhand stomped inside. Auriana forced her chin upwards in defiance as she met the Warlord's blazing stare. Her chest heaved with the effort and her back felt like it was on fire, but she was determined not to give Blackhand the satisfaction of knowing precisely how much pain he had caused her thus far. She had no viable defense against him save for her bravado and sheer stubbornness, though she was rapidly running out of both.

Blackhand looked immensely pleased with himself as he moved to stand in front of her, though he didn't say a word. Auriana wondered how she appeared to the Warlord, covered in sweat, grime, and dried blood. She waited him out, wondering if he expected her to beg and plead for respite. She would refuse to give him the satisfaction, of course, her pride one of the only things keeping her lucid and unbroken. Throk'gar might have been able to make her scream and cry and rage, but she had never once asked for him to stop.

"How have you found our hospitality so far, Commander?" Blackhand asked finally, breaking the silence.

"Superb," she said wearily, dried blood cracking around her mouth as she spoke. "I'll be sure to tell all my friends from Lunarfall about how much  _fun_  I've had in the Foundry. All ten thousand of them."

Blackhand bared his teeth at her threat.

"Do you really believe that your men will come for you, girl?" he barked.

Auriana had no reply, or at least not one she intended to give Blackhand. Rationally, she hoped that Thorn, Ironfist and the others would be sensible enough to leave her to her fate, rather than risking the lives of her soldiers needlessly. In her heart of hearts, however, she feared being forgotten and left to die more than almost anything, and she cursed herself for having such a distinctly  _human_  weakness.

"Clearly  _you_ think they intend to leave me," Auriana said, raising an eyebrow. "So why don't you just kill me and have done with it? I'm sure you could find a better wall decoration than I. A nice tapestry, perhaps?"

Blackhand actually laughed then, or at least she thought he did. In truth, it sounded a lot like two metal plates grinding against one another, and it sent gooseflesh racing along her arms.

"It's a pity you weren't born an orc, you know," he said, a note of grudging respect in his thunderous voice. "Such strength of spirit is admirable, even in one of your kind. You could have made a fine mate for a warchief."

Auriana blinked in surprise at the somewhat backhanded compliment.

"Ah… don't get any ideas, Blackhand, you're not my type," she stammered warily.

"Oh, I'm  _well_  aware, Commander," he said ominously, and there was something in his tone that set Auriana's teeth on edge.

"You haven't answered my question," Auriana grunted painfully. "Why are you wasting everyone's time? Why not just kill me?"

"So eager," Blackhand snarled, with considerable glee. "Unfortunately for you, I have other plans."

"Oh, come now, Blackhand, don't leave me in suspense," Auriana rasped. "It's rude."

Talking was a considerable effort, but with any luck Auriana would be able to get Blackhand to reveal the details of his future plans. A tiny part of her still hoped that she could somehow pull off a miraculous escape, and if she did, she was determined to bring something of value back to Lunarfall.

"I'm sure this will come as something of a shock, Commander, but you're not the most important person in the world," Blackhand said, his eyes taking on a sudden, malevolent sheen. "Don't get me wrong, you've been very annoying…"

"Thank you."

"... but I have my eyes set on a far greater prize."

It was then that Blackhand placed a crude orcish scroll on the table between them with a sense of foreboding finality.

"What's that?" Auriana asked, willing to play the Warlord's game for the time being.

"A ransom note," Blackhand said simply.

"You're going to ransom me back to Lunarfall?" Auriana asked incredulously, so certain had she been that her time in the Foundry would end with her unceremonious death. "I'll admit this is unexpected, but not unwelcome. What's the going rate for a Commander these days? Four talbuk? Perhaps three, I  _am_  fairly small…"

Blackhand's face split into a grim rictus, and there was something in his eyes that made Auriana's heart leap suddenly into her throat.

"No, actually," he rumbled. "I intend to trade your life for that of the King of Stormwind."

Auriana scoffed loudly, in order to hide the fact that her blood had frozen in her veins. In that moment, she realised there was something that scared her far more than being tortured and left to rot in Blackhand's dungeon. Auriana was willing to give her life for the Alliance if necessary, but she would never,  _ever_ be prepared to sacrifice Varian.

"What?" she said, trying to force her face into an expression of mildly confused neutrality.

"The other-worlder Garrosh told us much of your Azeroth, of your Alliance," Blackhand continued. "How do you think your men will feel when I place your king's head on a pike at the top of the Foundry? Your little insurrection will be at an end, and the Iron Horde will stand triumphant."

"Has all this sulfur damaged your brain?" she wondered, trying not to let her voice shake. "You're insane if you think they'd trade His Majesty for me. No Commander is worth a King."

"You are correct, of course," Blackhand said seriously. "No true leader would trade his life for that of a single underling... but a man might be willing to trade his life for a woman he loves."

Auriana's heart quite literally skipped a beat, and for a second all she could hear was a dull roaring in her ears. Blackhand was staring at her with an air of savage triumph, and Auriana realised that he'd most definitely seen the fear in her eyes.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she lied desperately.

"Are we really going to play this game, Commander?" Blackhand growled.

"What game?" Auriana asked innocently, while her heart raced so fast that she was certain Blackhand could hear it. "I'll admit, I'm loyal to my King, but I certainly don't think I mean anything to him personally…"

"Why do you insist on lying?" Blackhand snapped, lunging forward and backhanding her across the face. "Tell me, if the King is nothing to you, why do you return to your city of Stormwind so frequently?"

Blackhand hadn't said it outright, but he had just all but confirmed that there was a spy in Lunarfall. There was no one else who could have provided him with such information about her comings and goings, and Auriana surged with fresh anger at the thought.

"I get homesick," Auriana said quickly, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her beaten cheek. "Slaughtering your orcs day in and day out is so  _depressingly_ repetitive, and sometimes I yearn for the simple comforts of home."

"Your lies are nothing if not creative, Commander," Blackhand growled, "Though ultimately futile. You may have been able to kill the assassins I sent to Lunarfall, but before their demise they were nevertheless able to communicate more than enough evidence to make your relationship with the human King clear."

 _My letters_ , Auriana realised in horror.  _Those bastards read my letters._

Blackhand's eyes narrowed victoriously, and with a sinking heart Auriana knew that he had her. While she and Varian had always tried to keep their correspondence simple and discreet, she knew there was more than enough in those letters to condemn them both.

"I will admit, I was disappointed when my assassins failed to kill you, though the information they provided me with appears to have been vastly more useful," he added cruelly. "Instead of simply killing a single, troublesome Commander, I will capture myself the head of a king and grind your Alliance into dust!"

Auriana fell silent, her mind clouding over with uncontrolled fear and fury.

"Where's that smart mouth of yours now, bitch?" Blackhand said smugly, wrapping his fingers painfully around her neck. "Don't worry, you'll get your wish. You  _will_  die, but not yet. Your King isn't going to come all this way for a corpse."

"He won't come," Auriana said forcefully, though she knew she was lying to herself as much as to Blackhand. "No matter what you do to me."

"Are you quite sure of that, Commander?" Blackhand asked, a sinister smile spreading across his battle-scarred face.

Auriana stared up at Blackhand hatefully, never having wanted to kill someone more. There was nothing she could say, and Blackhand knew it, his grin stretching terrifyingly wide as he finally released her neck and stalked out of the room.

To Auriana's surprise, Throk'gar didn't return, and she was left hanging alone in the near darkness with her back in shreds and her heart in pieces. Evidently, Blackhand felt that abandoning her to dwell on Varian's fate would cause her far more pain than torture ever could, and privately Auriana had to agree. She tasted salt and realised that she was crying, hot tears of anger and agony trailing down her face.

Despite what she might have said to Blackhand, Auriana knew that Varian would come, all too willing to sacrifice himself for her sake. The King of Stormwind was fiercely protective of the people he loved, and she knew there wasn't much he wouldn't do to save her. Auriana slumped against her restraints, the last vestiges of her fighting spirit fading swiftly. Blackhand's speech had intended to demoralised and break her, and it was impossible to deny that he had succeeded. A cold, creeping sense of inevitability wormed its way up Auriana's spine as she pictured Varian marching on the Foundry, and she found that right then there was nothing she could do but weep.


	20. Varian

After Khadgar had departed, Varian had drunk himself into a blind stupor, raging about his chambers and frightening his guards. Almost every piece of glassware in Varian's chambers had been shattered, and he'd barely had two consecutive hours of sleep since Khadgar had left. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could picture was Auriana, tortured and alone, and it filled him with such a furious dread that he could barely breathe.

It was now rapidly approaching the end of the two day deadline Varian had set for Khadgar's return, and yet he had heard no word from the Archmage. In his darker moments, Varian had started to suspect that Auriana had been found dead, and Khadgar was simply too afraid to inform him. Even Anduin had failed to bring him comfort, and eventually Varian had sent the boy away, ashamed by his own utter lack of emotional control.

Although it was lunchtime in Stormwind, Varian had locked himself away in his chambers, brooding over a glass of whiskey. He had attempted to attend to his usual duties for the last two days, but it was soon apparent to Varian and everyone around him that he was in a terrible frame of mind. Varian had eventually given up that morning, choosing to retreat into isolation. His chambers felt like an oppressive cage, but better that he prowled around up here instead of terrorising the populace of Stormwind.

It was mid-afternoon when one of Varian's guards called out to announce Khadgar's arrival. His heart in his throat, Varian bolted for the door, ushering the Archmage inside with a furious urgency.

"The ransom note was delivered to Lunarfall this morning," Khadgar said, without preamble, the moment the door had closed.

His face was grim as he handed Varian a piece of battered parchment, and Varian saw something that might have been pity in the Archmage's eyes. Varian snatched the note from Khadgar with shaking hands, though he took some comfort in the fact that a request for ransom meant that Auriana was still alive.

"My apologies. I didn't realise until I had opened it, but the ransom is addressed to you," Khadgar said slowly.

"Me?" Varian exclaimed in surprise, ripping the seal apart. "Why?"

"I was hoping you might be able to tell me," Khadgar continued.

"I… why would I know?" Varian snapped defensively. "I'm the High King of the Alliance! She's one of my best field commanders! What other reason would there be?"

Khadgar sighed in mild exasperation, but his expression was sympathetic.

"I read the ransom, Varian, and it isn't a letter calling on a king," Khadgar said. "It was meant for you. Personally."

As Varian read through the note, he could see that Khadgar was right. Blackhand hadn't asked for gold or jewels, or even a surrender in exchange for Auriana's safe return, he had asked for Varian's own life.  _Somehow_ , the orc warlord had discovered Varian's secret relationship with the mage-commander, and he had decided to exploit it in the most brutal fashion, making Varian choose between his love for Auriana and his responsibilities as King. Varian closed his eyes painfully, narrowly resisting the urge to flip his heavy dining table end over end across the room.

"Varian?" Khadgar prodded gently.

"What do you want me to say, Khadgar?" Varian growled. "You read the damn message."

Varian slammed the hated ransom down on the table, and a moment of tense silence passed between the King and the Archmage. Varian then stalked across the room to his whiskey, downing what remained in the glass in a single mouthful.

"How long have you been in love with her?" Khadgar asked quietly, his voice grave.

"I..." Varian started to protest, only to realise that there was little point in lying to the Archmage. "I don't know. The night of Winter's Veil, I realised I cared for her more than I perhaps ought to have... though I couldn't precisely tell you when I realised that… that I loved her."

"Does she reciprocate?" Khadgar asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Are you asking if she loves me? Not that she's ever said. But... we've been engaged in a romantic relationship since Highmaul fell, if that's what you're getting at," Varian admitted.

Khadgar frowned.

"Going to chide me, Khadgar?" Varian snarled defensively. "I'm not some lovestruck boy. She and I are both adults, we can do what we like."

"Quite right," Khadgar said slowly. "You'll get no judgement from me, Varian."

He smiled tightly, his blue eyes kind, and Varian offered him a terse but grateful nod.

"Actually," the Archmage continued. "I'm more concerned with how the personal nature of your relationship got back to Blackhand."

"There have been problems with spies in Lunarfall and Stormshield of late," Varian explained. "We've had SI:7 looking into it, but… someone could have found out about her visits to Stormwind, or intercepted some of our letters... even if a spy didn't assume a romantic relationship, there could be enough evidence to suggest that she is of great importance to the crown."

"Evidently," Khadgar said, "Judging from that ransom note. It appears that Blackhand believes you will trade your life for hers."

"Yes," Varian agreed quietly. "It does."

He turned away and poured himself another strong drink, ignoring Khadgar's disapproving stare. It perhaps wasn't the best coping method he could have chosen, but Varian supposed that alcohol was a better alternative than punching a hole in the wall of the Keep, which was the only other thing he felt like doing at this particular moment in time.

"Would you do it?" Khadgar asked curiously.

"Without hesitation," Varian said simply.

He knew there should have been a question there, but there wasn't. If his life was required to keep Auriana safe, then he would unquestioningly pay the price.

"Varian… you're the High King of the Alliance," Khadgar said seriously. "As important as Auriana is… and as much as she means to  _both_  of us personally… a Commander's life is not worth a King's."

"That's a matter of opinion," Varian protested weakly.

Deep down he knew Khadgar was right, and he despised himself for it. Varian had always found his crown somewhat heavy to bear, but he had never hated being king quite as much as he did right now. If he were just another soldier, he would have offered himself up to Blackhand in an instant, and Auriana would have been safe.

"We can't just leave her there, Khadgar," he said quietly. "I agree that I can't meet Blackhand's ransom demand, but surely we could mount a rescue."

"We've been over this, Varian. Lunarfall is not yet sufficiently positioned for an all-out siege of the Foundry," Khadgar explained patiently. "Especially if there are traitors in our midst. It would be a slaughter, and Light knows if we'd even get her out alive."

Varian ground his teeth savagely, though once again he knew that Khadgar had seen the truth of things. He felt uncharacteristically impotent, and wondered what use there was in being king if he couldn't even use his vast armies to protect the woman he loved.

"Furthermore," Khadgar added, "I'm assuming that you intend to keep your relationship with the Commander a secret. There aren't too many things less subtle than launching an extraplanetary invasion to rescue a single woman."

Varian growled, and realised that he had never wanted to hit someone quite as much as he wanted to hit Khadgar right now. The Archmage was far too calm and perceptive, and Varian found it damnably frustrating. He cracked his knuckles and turned away, choking down his terrible rage as best he was able, lest he do something irreparably stupid.

"A smaller group then," he argued. "An elite tactical force. We could infiltrate the Foundry and have her home before Blackhand even realised she was missing."

"We?" Khadgar asked pointedly, catching Varian's particular turn of phrase. "Surely you don't intend to go yourself."

"I am unmatched as a warrior in the Alliance," Varian said, without arrogance, "And I've experience in stealth operations. Who better to go?"

"You would be giving Blackhand exactly what he wants. What if you are killed, or captured?" Khadgar objected. "You are the High King of the Alliance, Varian, and you need to start acting li..."

"I will  _not_ leave her!" Varian shouted, so forcefully that Khadgar actually took a step backwards.

It was Varian's mouth that had moved, but it was Lo'Gosh who spoke. It was also Lo'Gosh who stormed across the room in a frenzy, coming to a halt mere inches from Khadgar's face. Khadgar wasn't a small man by any means, but he was absolutely dwarfed by the furious Varian. Despite the difference in their sizes, however, the Archmage didn't seem outwardly perturbed by either Varian's rage or his proximity.

"You can't get to the Foundry without me," he said calmly. "I could refuse to take you."

"I'll walk overland from Ashran if I have to," Varian shot back furiously. "I'm afraid you've missed my point, Khadgar. I'm going. It isn't up for debate. If you want to keep me alive, then I suppose you'll just have to follow me."

Khadgar shook his head and closed his eyes, but when he looked up at Varian again it was with such understanding and empathy that Varian suddenly felt like a blustering fool. The King stepped back, ashamed by his volatile display. Khadgar didn't deserve his rage, not when he was only trying to help.

"Please," he added quietly. "Khadgar…"

"Very well," Khadgar conceded, "Though I have a feeling we both might regret this by the end. I won't let you go alone, either."

"Of course not," Varian agreed. "I may be a hothead, but I'm not an idiot."

At that, Khadgar might have actually smiled, his bushy eyebrows raising and his face relaxing slightly.

"Come," Varian added. "I have an idea."

* * *

Varian had Khadgar teleport them both to Old Town, just outside the headquarters of SI:7. A number of rogues looked up curiously as they entered the building, but Varian only had eyes for Mathias Shaw. Not a single person tried to stop Varian as he swept up the stairs and into Shaw's office, deterred by both his forbidding stare and the tempestuous power with which he walked.

"Commander Fenwild has been kidnapped by Warlord Blackhand and is currently being held prisoner in Blackrock Foundry on Draenor," Varian said flatly, before Shaw could even say a word. "It is my intention to rescue her."

He had only seen Shaw demonstrate actual surprise on previous occasion, but even that paled in comparison to the sudden barrage of expressions that crossed the spymaster's face at Varian's words.

"Your Majesty..." Shaw started carefully, and from the all too knowing look in his eyes Varian realised that Shaw was not as oblivious to the truth of Varian's relationship with Auriana as he had supposed. "I'm not sure how to say this… but... is she…"

"Don't ask me a question I can't answer, Shaw," Varian interrupted fiercely. "All you need to know is that she's in trouble, and that I'm going to get her back. By  _whatever_ means necessary. I'd like your help, but I am prepared to do this without SI:7 if I have to."

Shaw frowned, looking incredibly displeased, but his steadfast loyalty to his king won out over his almost obsessive need for information.

"Very well," the spymaster said finally. "How can I be of service?"


	21. Auriana

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strong content warning for this chapter.

For what felt like an eternity, Auriana wallowed in a deep pit of despair. Throk'gar had continued his hateful visits, of course, but more often than not she had been left alone in the dark to ponder her fate, and more frighteningly, that of Varian. As much as Auriana hated herself for it, Blackhand's threat against Varian's life had all but broken her heart, and she had made no further attempts to aggravate Throk'gar. Gone was the fiery bravado with which she had suffered through his earlier efforts, replaced instead by a dark depression that had irresistibly begun to consume her from the inside out.

The most recent session she had endured had been one of the worst, but even Throk'gar's eventual departure did nothing to ease her pain. The torturer had taken to leaving her alone for hours before sending the shaman to heal her wounds, and Auriana could no longer remember a time when she hadn't been in agony. It also didn't help that the shaman's work had been less and less effective. In the beginning, it had perhaps taken him a handful of minutes to heal the damage, whereas now he would often spend up to an hour working on her injuries. Auriana had also found that it was harder to breathe the longer she hung in suspension, and there was a deep and weary ache to her bones that no amount of healing had been able to relieve.

Of course, Auriana's physical anguish paled in comparison to her tormented thoughts. She became trapped in an endless cycle of self-recrimination and guilt, cursing herself for having been captured and used to bait Varian to Draenor. More than anything, Auriana felt a profound and devastating sense of regret at having run from Varian's confession of love. Once again, she had fled from a man who had opened his heart to her, and once again she would lose the opportunity to ever make things right. There was no point denying that she was in love with the King, at least not to herself, and more than anything else she wished she had taken the chance to tell him how she felt.

On the other hand, she also regretted the audacity of her belief that she could have some kind of relationship with the King of Stormwind without everything going cataclysmically wrong. While Auriana could accept that capture and torture were an ever present hazard in her line of work, it hurt her like a physical blow to realise that Varian was at risk simply because he had fallen in love with her, of all people. It would have been bad enough to have put any man she loved at risk, but Auriana also had to contend with the fact that Varian was the High King. If he came charging out to Draenor to ransom his life for hers, the consequences for the Alliance as a whole could be devastating, and it would all be her fault. In her darkest moments, Auriana genuinely lost all hope, and she became a hollow shell of herself as she simply waited in the dark to die.

And yet…

The more she thought about Varian, and the way that Blackhand had tried to use the King's impossible love for her as a weapon, the more furious Auriana became. Varian's love was both unexpected and quite frankly, unbelievable, but it was also something strong and pure and  _light_ , and Blackhand had no right to turn something so miraculous into something so twisted. The thought suffused her with a sudden anger, burning brightly against the gloom that had ensnared her heart. Her ire spread throughout her chest with a furious purpose, and Auriana soon realised that she was also angry at  _herself_  for having accepted this turn of events without resistance.

More than anything else, what Auriana and the King shared most was an untameable fighting spirit and an indomitable will to win, even when victory seemed impossible. Auriana was certainly no stranger to fighting against the odds. She'd stood against the Scourge and the Burning Legion, against the madness of the black dragon Deathwing and the tyranny of Garrosh Hellscream, and she had never once fallen so low as she had on this day. Even facing certain death, Auriana realised, she had stood proud and fearless at the vanguard… until now.  _Now_ she hung uselessly, cowed and broken by an orc who could not have held a candle to any of the enemies she had faced in the past. In giving up hope, Auriana knew she had betrayed Varian, the Alliance, and most importantly  _herself_ , and she resolved right then and there to  _fight_. She had accepted her imminent death, but she did  _not_  have to accept Varian's, and nor did she have to cower in fear before Blackhand and his monstrous torturer.

Auriana surged with sudden adrenaline, though she had to acknowledge that her options for rebellion were rather limited. She looked up at her hands, staring hatefully at the ensorcelled iron that kept her from her magic, and wondered whether she could break the spell. It was fiendishly complex piece of sorcery, and Blackhand had evidently had the sense to use some of the strongest shackles he could find. Auriana had certainly never  _heard_ of anyone breaking arcane shackles, but that didn't necessarily mean it was impossible. Auriana knew she'd have a reasonable chance of escaping the Foundry if she were successful in breaking the bonds, and with any luck she'd be able to intercept Varian and keep him safe. Of course, the most likely result of her attempting to break the enchantment by force would simply be that nothing happened. It was also fairly likely that she would killed, though at least in that case Varian would have no reason to mount a rescue...

Auriana's train of thought was interrupted as the door to her room suddenly swung open. Her heart began to race, until she realised that it was not Throk'gar who had returned, but rather the shaman tasked with keeping her alive. She relaxed ever so slightly, or at least as much as she was able given her current predicament, knowing that the shaman likely meant her no harm.

She  _had_ noticed that the small orc often winced noticeably as he tended to her wounds, and Auriana certainly didn't get the same sense of raw hatred from the shaman as she did from Throk'gar and Blackhand. In Auriana's experience, there were two types of people who engaged in torture. The first were those who were simply following orders or who were in a desperate situation without an alternative, while the second were monsters like Throk'gar, who derived a sick and powerful pleasure from the suffering of others. Auriana strongly suspected that the shaman was one of the former, and the newly rekindled fight within her soul wondered if that wasn't something she could exploit.

"What's your name?" she asked quietly, forcibly lifting her weary eyes.

The shaman gave her a startled look but remained silent, busying himself with preparing a pitiful bowl of gruel. Blackhand had requested for her to eat and drink occasionally, wanting to keep her alive just long enough to entice Varian to Draenor. Auriana had initially refused, knowing that failing to eat would hasten her death, but Throk'gar had simply had the shaman force the food down her throat while he held her jaws apart. Since then, Auriana had decided that it was simpler to just eat what she was offered, and to try to bait the orcs into killing her another way.

As was their usual ritual, the shaman lifted spoonfuls of gruel up to Auriana so that she could eat, feeding her as if she were a child. The orcish gruel tasted like rot and old boot leather, but Auriana nevertheless managed to choke down the entire bowl. While the food was of little comfort, however, she genuinely appreciated the cool, sludgy water that the shaman trickled into the corner of her mouth after she had eaten. She always drank greedily, ignoring the acrid, metallic taste of the liquid, until the shaman pulled the skein away and turned his attention to her wounds.

Today, he started with her mutilated hands, his worn face distorting in concentration as he called on the elements of healing. Auriana could see that the work was difficult, but she appreciated the fact that he genuinely appeared to have been trying his best.

"Shaman?" Auriana repeated. "What's your name?"

He looked down at her reproachfully, and Auriana could practically taste his apprehension.

"It's just a question," she sighed. "What am I going to do with your name?"

"Blackhand warned me not to trust you," the shaman said finally, not meeting her eyes. "He said that you are an off-worlder witch of terrible power."

"Do you really think I'm much of a threat to you like this?" Auriana said, flexing her wrists within the shackles.

She was wearing nothing but her underclothes, and she was covered in days' worth of grime and dried gore. Her skin was practically translucent from the blood loss, and she was so physically spent that she could barely raise her head. Nevertheless, the shaman's eyes flicked upwards towards the arcane bindings around her wrists, and Auriana choked out a somewhat hysterical laugh.

"If I were capable of breaking out of these shackles, I would have done so by now," she assured him, though she vaguely wondered if she were perhaps telling a lie.

The shaman still looked very skeptical and he turned away, but a second later he answered her question.

"Kelruk," he said reluctantly. "My name is Kelruk."

"I'm Auriana," she said. "Though I suppose you already know that."

The shaman grunted and continued with his task, moving on to heal the tortured skin of her back. His touch was impossibly gentle compared to the sharp sting of a whip or the bite of a knife, and Auriana had to resist the urge to groan in relief as she felt the rends in her skin slowly knit back together.

"You're a shaman," she said quietly, as he continued his grim work. "I would have thought your kind frown on torture."

"What do you know of shamanism?" Kelruk said bitterly. "How would know whether torture is acceptable to us?"

"You are right," Auriana agreed, "I know little, though I was taught that shaman were deeply spiritual, and have a profound sense of respect for  _all_  life."

"There is a difference between respect and stupidity," Kelruk countered, though he sounded unsure. "If I were to undo those shackles, you'd kill me in an instant, would you not? How are you and I any different?"

"If I were free, I would give you the honour of a warrior's death," Auriana snapped. "So that you might stand proud before the spirits of your ancestors. I would not chain you up like an animal. I would give you the chance to fight back."

She could see that her harsh words had struck a nerve. The shaman was clearly one of those from the old tradition of the Horde, the Horde that valued honour and bravery above all else, rather than the Horde that delighted in killing and chaos.

"Is there honour in this?" she challenged, and Kelruk looked suddenly stricken.

Auriana was encouraged by his reaction, wondering if she might be able to use the shaman to escape, but he was saved from having to answer her question by the sudden return of Throk'gar. The shaman slunk off into the corner to gather his things as the torturer strode into the room, his entire posture wracked with shame and fear.

"Did she say anything, shaman?" Throk'gar asked as he regarded Auriana thoughtfully.

Kelruk looked up, his eyes meeting Auriana's, and to her great surprise he shook his head.

"Nothing, Master," he lied quietly. "Nothing at all."

Auriana offered the shaman her silent thanks, but it appeared that Kelruk would not be doing her any other favours anytime soon. It was clear that the shaman was terrified of Throk'gar, and he declined to say another word in her defense as he scampered from the room and left her to the torturer's attention once more. Auriana watched the shaman go, and with him any of hope of an escape from the Foundry that didn't end in her death.

She sighed, and turned her attention back to Throk'gar. He unfurled his bundle of torturous implements on the table, as he usually did, but this time Auriana refused to let herself be cowed. She lifted her head and met the torturer's gaze levelly for the first time since Blackhand had revealed his plan to capture Varian, and grit her teeth defiantly. Auriana was always most alert after being healed, and she intended to use her temporary lucidity to stand strong in front of Throk'gar.

"I have good news for you, Commander," Throk'gar said, idly playing with one of his more vicious flensing knives as he paced around the room.

"I'm sure I can't wait to hear what you have to say," Auriana said sarcastically.

"Oh, are you talking to me again?" Throk'gar asked. "What's changed, Commander?"

"I was getting bored with the silence," Auriana said lightly. "You aren't the best conversationalist, I'll admit, but I suppose you're better than nothing."

Throk'gar growled deep in his chest and cracked his knuckles, but did not otherwise acknowledge her little barb.

"You will be pleased to know that the Warlord has sent notice of the ransom to Lunarfall," he continued. "Your time in the Foundry is nearly at an end."

Auriana suddenly fought to control her breathing, terrified that the next thing Throk'gar would tell her was that Varian had been captured and killed. Throk'gar noticed her discomfort and grinned cruelly.

"Never fear, little witch, we've not yet had word from your King... though of course we both know he will come eventually," he added triumphantly. "In the meantime, Blackhand has requested that you and I continue our good work together."

Auriana sighed with relief, though she knew that she was rapidly running out of time. If Varian had received her ransom, he would likely already be on his way to Draenor, and Auriana was freshly determined to have Throk'gar kill her before the King arrived.

"Let's not, and tell Blackhand that we did," Auriana suggested slyly. "It'll be our little secret."

Throk'gar barked a harsh laugh at her words, and placed his flensing knife back on the table before turning to face her once more.

"I will give you this, witch, you are strong. I've broken some of the greatest orcish champions in a matter of hours, and yet you have lasted days with your pitiful sense of humour intact," he said. "You are quite remarkable, Commander."

"Has it ever occurred to you that you simply aren't very good at your job?" Auriana jeered provocatively. "And that those orcs were just  _weak_?"

She took some small satisfaction in the fact that Throk'gar bristled visibly at her insult. He was far more volatile than Blackhand, and Auriana knew he was far more likely than the Warlord to simply snap and kill her should she continue to provoke him.

"I have not even  _begun_  to show the extent of the torment I can bring down upon you, bitch," Throk'gar hissed.

"Oh, please, Throk'gar. You've whipped, beaten, burned, and starved me, and you still haven't broken my spirit. What else could you possibly do?" she said tauntingly.

Throk'gar stepped in so close that Auriana could feel his hot breath on her cheek. She stared into his too-calm eyes defiantly, and was not at all surprised to see madness lurking in their inky depths.

"Do you really think there's nothing else I can do to break you?" Throk'gar laughed. "Don't test me, woman."

As he spoke, he reached up and grabbed the hair at the base of her skull and forced her head backwards so that her throat was exposed. He ran his other hand down her neck to her breasts and squeezed painfully, his thick fingers disgustingly hot against her exposed skin.

"You're small," Throk'gar said darkly, "But you'll do."

The orc's intentions were written clearly all over his face, and Auriana found herself genuinely terrified by the threat. Refusing to let the orc see her fear, however, Auriana growled out loud and spat in Throk'gar's face, forcing him to step away.

"What's the matter, bitch?" he demanded. "You won't open your legs for anyone less than a king?'

"Varian's twice the man you'll ever be," Auriana snarled.

She looked down pointedly, and bared her teeth in a savage grin.

"In more ways than one," she added viciously, hoping to drive the orc into a murderous rage.

Throk'gar bellowed in abrupt fury, slamming his fist around her throat and throttling her violently. Instead of killing her, however, he thrust his other hand forcefully between her legs and pushed, drawing blood and making Auriana scream with revulsion. Something inside her mind snapped, and in that moment she realised there was one considerable weapon in her arsenal that she had completely forgotten. It was understandable, given that Auriana had fought against her darker side for so long, but if there was ever a time to unleash her wrath, it was right now.

Her heart pounding, Auriana reached blindly for the barbaric rage that burned deep within her heart and seized it with an iron grip. She may not have her magic, but she did have her fury, and for once, Auriana intended to use it to her advantage. With a feral cry, she snapped her head forwards and smashed it into Throk'gar's face. His nose splintered beneath her forehead with a satisfying crack, and Auriana was doused in a spray of hot blood.

The orc torturer howled and staggered backwards, then smacked Auriana across the face so hard that he broke her cheekbone. Auriana saw stars, but she took a perverse pleasure in knowing that she'd caused the orc to break before she had.

"That was stupid," the orc panted. " _Very_  stupid."

Throk'gar fumbled at the buckles on his belt, his eyes burning with hatred. The orc obviously meant to rape and kill her, but Auriana would be damned if she would give him the opportunity. In that moment, she decided that there was no point in waiting for Throk'gar to inflict more pain upon her before finally delivering a death blow, not when there was the slightest chance that she could kill them both on her terms.

 _To hell with this,_ she thought ruthlessly.  _I'd rather die a wolf than a lamb._

"You have angered me, human witch," Throk'gar snapped, pressing a hand to his ruined nose. "Now you will pay the price."

Auriana grinned recklessly, licking the blood from her lips. The expression pulled on her shattered cheekbone painfully, but Auriana was fair beyond caring. Her rage had been ignited, and every ache and pain and indignity that had been done to her only served to fuel the fire.

"No!  _You_  have angered  _me_!" she roared. "And I promise you, it will be the last mistake you will  _ever_ make."

Auriana lifted her eyes to the shackles and forced every thought from her mind. She could feel her magic just out of her reach, and she could see the cursed spellwork that kept it from her as clear as day. At the same time, Auriana tapped into her rage, allowing it to flood through her veins like liquid fire. She howled deliriously as the overwhelming sense of bloodlust and invincibility filled her, and she looked so mad as to give even Throk'gar pause. Auriana was beyond caring whether she lived or died, or even whether she managed to escape. All that mattered now was turning her berserker's fury on Throk'gar and making an attempt to break her shackles, in the hope that she might keep Varian alive.

"I'll see you in hell, orc," she snarled, summoning every last drop of will that she possessed and cackling madly as she tore reality apart.


	22. Varian

Within less than two hours of Khadgar's arrival, Varian had assembled a crack team of SI:7 agents and was ready to brief them on the mission to rescue Auriana. He hadn't even taken the time to say goodbye to Anduin, not wanting to cause the Prince any concern, when with all luck Varian would be back by morning with Auriana safely in tow. Varian had asked for Shaw's best operatives, despite the short notice, and the spymaster had delivered, offering Varian three of the finest assassins alive. Varian didn't know their real names, of course, but he knew each of them by their coded identities and reputations, and he knew he couldn't have asked for anyone better.

Varian himself had changed into an outfit of nondescript black that covered both his lower jaw and his long hair. He had declined to carry Shalamayne, prioritising anonymity and stealth over the comforting familiarity of the great blade. Instead, he had opted to carry two featureless blades that were nonetheless made of the finest Stormwind steel.

He was now standing with the three assassins and Khadgar in SI:7 headquarters, from whence they would depart for Draenor directly. Varian practically quivered with nervous energy, and he struggled not to snap at his assassins as they made their preparations with what he felt was aching slowness. Every minute they wasted in Stormwind was another minute that Auriana was at risk, and he refused to leave her alone with Blackhand for a second longer than necessary.

"Let's keep this brief, I don't know how much time we have," he started. "I know Shaw gave you the basics, but I'd like to make sure everyone is on the same page."

He gestured between Khadgar and the assassins.

"I'm sure you've all heard of the Archmage Khadgar," he said. "Khadgar, I'd like you to meet some of SI:7's finest: Fox, Hawk, and Bear."

"I'm assuming those are not your  _real_  names," Khadgar observed wryly.

"Names are something of a liability in our line of work," Hawk agreed, her lilting voice soft.

She was an exceptionally tall woman, nearly as tall as Khadgar, and Varian knew that she had brilliant auburn hair. Of course, her hair wasn't currently visible, hidden as it was under the dark black balaclava that covered her entire face, save for her eyes. Her compatriots were similarly dressed, and they each looked deadly and eager for the fight.

"Khadgar will provide us with transportation to the Foundry," Varian explained. "Our first and only priority is to rescue Commander Fenwild, who was taken by Blackrock orcs nearly four days ago. We must be swift and silent. We cannot afford to alert the entire Foundry to our presence."

"Do we know where she is?" Bear asked.

"No," Varian admitted, "And I'm aware that it will make this mission that much harder. However, given what we know of the layout of the Foundry, it is reasonable to assume she is up on one of the upper levels."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," Fox said, his clever green eyes sharp, "This almost sounds like a suicide mission. Why is this Commander of yours so important that you would risk your own life to save her?"

"Has Shaw overstated your reputation?" Varian snapped. "If you believe yourself incapable, then I suggest you withdraw from this mission  _now_."

He exchanged a quick look with Khadgar, who raised a disapproving grey eyebrow but remained silent. Varian pointedly ignored the Archmage. He didn't have time to be polite, not with Auriana's life in danger.

"Merely curious, Your Majesty," Fox said swiftly. "I only…"

"I do  _not_  need to explain myself to you," Varian interrupted. "Suffice to say, the Commander is of great importance to the crown. We will bring her back to Stormwind safely, and that is all you need to know."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Fox said, clearly regretting having asked the question. "My blades are yours, now and always."

"As are mine," Hawk echoed, apparently unperturbed by Varian's outburst.

"And mine," Bear added, his gravelly voice serious.

"Good," Varian said grimly, sheathing his own twin swords at his back. "Khadgar, take us out."

* * *

True to his word, Khadgar brought Varian and his assassins right to the base of Blackrock Foundry in Gorgrond. The Archmage had managed to land them in a small space between the Foundry wall and the rocky outcrop against which the Blackrock fortress had been built.

"Where are we?" Varian asked, looking up at the alien sky.

The late night air was crisp and clear, but the great forges of the Foundry created a cloying humidity that flattened Varian's hair and set a sheen of sweat upon his brow. The twin moons of Draenor glowed brightly in the cloudless sky, but Varian could not have possibly cared less for their beauty than he did right now.

"On the northeastern side of the main building," Khadgar answered quickly. "This is as high up as I could get you."

"How are we getting in?" Fox asked, running his gloved hand along the iron wall.

"I can make a hole," Khadgar offered, "But I can't guarantee what you might find on the other side. You may wish to ready yourselves."

Varian nodded, and the Archmage moved to press his hands against the wall. Khadgar muttered a quick word and his fingers suddenly glowed red hot, actually  _melting_  away the iron and creating an opening large enough for a man to step through. As Khadgar worked, Varian and his assassins unsheathed their blades, ready to fight whoever or whatever they might find on the inside.

"Go," Varian hissed, as soon as the hole was wide enough, and the three SI:7 operatives dived through without question.

Khadgar faded his spell and made to made to follow the assassins into the Foundry, but Varian placed a forbidding hand on his chest.

"No," he said firmly. "I need you to stay here."

"Why?" Khadgar asked, genuinely surprised. "I may not be an assassin or a warrior, Varian, but I have my uses."

"I know," Varian agreed. "That's why I need you to stay. You're the only one who can get us back to Azeroth, and you can't do that if you're seriously injured or dead. Besides, if everything goes horribly wrong, I need someone who can send word to Stormwind of what has transpired this night. If we're not back within an hour, you head straight for Mathias Shaw, do you understand? He'll know what to do."

"Varian…" Khadgar protested, reluctance evident on every line of his face.

"I know I've asked you for a lot tonight, Khadgar," Varian said quietly, gripping the Archmage's arm, "And right now I'm asking for even more… but I need you to trust me. Please."

Khadgar considered Varian thoughtfully, his blue eyes seeming to peer into the King's very soul, but he eventually conceded the point with a sharp nod.

"Bring her back, Varian," he said finally. "And do try not to get yourself killed."

"You should be more worried about Blackhand's orcs, than me," Varian said grimly, nodding his thanks to the Archmage as he clambered through the wall and into Blackrock Foundry.

* * *

Once inside, Varian stood up to his full height and quickly assessed his surroundings. It seemed that Khadgar had opened the wall into a small armory of sorts, stocked to the ceiling with cannon shot and dynamite. Fortunately, the room was otherwise empty, and it appeared that Fox and Bear had taken the opportunity to stock up on whatever explosives they could fit into their tunics. For her part, Hawk stood pressed against the door with her eyes closed, using her preternatural hearing to scout ahead.

"There are three orcs in the corridor," she whispered. "Two to the left, one to the right. We'll have to be quick."

"I'll get the door," Varian offered, without pretension.

He knew that he was far better suited to direct combat than this sort of sneaking around, and while he was not inexperienced in clandestine operations, he intended to stand back and let the SI:7 agents do their work wherever possible. He took up Hawk's position at the door and grasped the handle firmly with one hand. He held up three fingers on his other hand, silently counting down before wrenching the door open as wide as he could.

Hawk, Fox, and Bear raced by him in a blur of movement, each flying for a different target in a perfectly choreographed dance of death. Varian stepped out into the corridor after them, and was gratified to see that they had slaughtered the three orc guards without a sound. Together, Varian and his assassins dragged the orc corpses back into the small armory and locked the door, leaving no trace that they'd ever been there.

"Which way?" Fox wondered, peering curiously to each side.

Varian closed his eyes and let his wolf's senses take over. From the right, he could smell the distinct scent of iron and sulfur, and he could hear the distant clang of metal on metal. The left corridor, however, seemed to lead to somewhere much cleaner and quieter, and he supposed it must have been where the Blackrock orcs took residence.

"Try left," he suggested quietly. "I'm almost certain that the right path leads down to the ironworks, and I doubt they're keeping her with the machinery."

Hawk and Fox stealthed instantly at his words, racing away down the left corridor ahead of Varian and Bear, who stayed back to protect his King. It was late at night on Draenor, and mercifully the corridors were largely empty as Varian's squad made their way slowly higher. The few lone orcs they encountered were taken down in mere heartbeats, their corpses carefully tucked into empty rooms or vents to hide the assassins' trail of destruction.

The first real sign of trouble the Alliance encountered was an orc who had suddenly appeared in the corridor  _behind_ Varian and Bear, after the area was thought to be clear. Somewhat surprisingly, it was Varian who heard him first, his almost supernatural senses catching the slightest intake of breath as the orc prepared to sound the alarm. The King whirled about in fraction of a second, taking the orc in the throat with a swiftly hurled knife, and the orc died before he'd managed to utter a sound.

"Nice shot," Bear whispered, stepping past him to drag the orc's corpse away.

"I have my moments," Varian quipped. "Keep moving."

The SI:7 operatives obeyed his orders without question, moving swiftly and silently through the iron corridors until they were stymied by a t-junction. As one, the three assassins turned to Varian, but unlike before, he had no useful suggestions. Everything up here smelt largely the same, and he couldn't get a good read on any one particular corridor.

"I've no idea," Varian conceded bitterly, shrugging. "We're going to have to guess, and backtrack if necessary."

"Well, we've been going left so far," Fox suggested. "We could try that way first?"

Varian nodded his agreement, in the absence of any better plan, but they had barely made it ten feet down the corridor when he realised that they'd made a mistake.

"No!" he whispered, as the pungent aroma of sweaty orc suddenly assaulted his nostrils. "There's a  _lot_  of orcs that way. We'll try the right."

The little group backtracked swiftly, each on high alert for any orc that might make an appearance from the left hand corridor. They made their way to the right instead, following the corridor as it curved up and around, when Hawk abruptly stopped and raised a hand.

"Patrol ahead! Coming this way!" she hissed. "Hide!"

As one they turned to flee, but Varian realised that they couldn't backtrack into the left corridor without potentially running into the much larger group of orcs that he had discovered with his wolf's nose. Effectively, they were boxed in, though without any real knowledge of how many orcs lay either ahead or behind. Varian tightened his grip on his sword, preparing for a fight, when he felt a sudden tug on his arm.

"In here," Bear urged, opening one of the heavy iron doors built into the corridor.

With no better option, the Alliance operatives slipped silently into the room. Bear closed the door gently behind him as Varian looking around, squinting in the suddenly dim light, as he tried to figure out where they were.

"Oh,  _damn_ ," he breathed, his heart sinking as he realised exactly what they had stumbled into.

In their haste to escape the patrol, Varian and his companions had backed themselves into a Blackrock barracks, where no less than fifty Foundry workers appeared to be sleeping in preparation for their upcoming shift in the bowels of Blackhand's war machine. The room was dimly lit by a handful of torches, casting strange red shadows on the faces of the resting orcs.

"Kill them," Hawk whispered ruthlessly. " _Now._ "

Varian and his operatives moved throughout the room without pause or mercy, smothering each orc and slitting their throats before moving on to the next bed. Varian's hands were soon soaked red with blood, but he found that he didn't care one whit for their deaths. As far as he was concerned, every orc in the Foundry was complicit in Auriana's kidnapping and torture, and they deserved to die by Varian's hand.

Despite the swiftness of the slaughter, however, the SI:7 agents were unable to complete their grim task before the final orc woke up. His sleepy confusion rapidly turned to alarm as he beheld the blood-soaked Alliance assassins, and he scrambled to put as much distance between himself and their blades as he could.

"Intruders!" he managed to holler, a mere second before Bear opened his throat from ear to ear.

"Do you think anyone heard that?" Fox wondered, giving voice to their common thoughts.

For a tense moment, nobody moved, and it felt to Varian as if the silence were slowly closing in around him. A second later, however, the door burst open and a full squad of twelve orcs poured into the room. Varian recognised that the orcs must have belonged to the patrol they had tried to avoid earlier, though there was no way that they could be dealt with stealthily now.

 _So much for that idea,_ he thought, raising his weapons with a sense of grim fatality.

He and the SI:7 operatives were outnumbered three to one, but in all honesty those were the type of odds Varian preferred. He was much more at home when he didn't have to concern himself with secrecy or silence, and in a straight fight he was practically unstoppable. Varian threw himself upon the orc patrol in a savage storm of deadly steel. His twin blades felt like an extension of his arms, and he distinctly felt the great wolf within his heart uncoil and join the fray. It was all he could do not to howl his fury to the sky, but he knew that there was still some hope that this battle would be won without rousing the entire Foundry. Fox had also had the brilliant idea to shut and bolt the door, darting around the orc patrol to defend the only escape point in the room. Hawk moved to aid him, and together the assassins cut down any orc that made even the slightest attempt to leave or call for help. Varian himself stood back to back with Bear, the two men falling into a comfortable rhythm as if they had been fighting together their entire lives.

While the assassins were good, however, it was Varian who truly excelled at this type of close quarters fighting against multiple opponents. His operatives soon realised this, and largely took up the role of shepherding orcs into Varian's range so that he could dispatch them with his thundering blows. A few of the orcs had intentionally tried to assault Varian, taking advantage of the fact that the tight quarters restricted his movement to a large degree. Several had even managed to draw blood on Varian's arms and back, but none who had harmed the King of Stormwind would ever live to tell the tale.

Despite their initial numbers disadvantage, however, Varian and the SI:7 operatives soon reduced the orc patrol to a mere four soldiers. The King grinned savagely, knowing that the orcs couldn't possibly hold out against the Alliance one-on-one, and prepared to finish them off. It was at that precise moment, however, that a massive explosion detonated somewhere overhead, and both humans and orcs were thrown violently to the floor as the ceiling collapsed. One of Varian's blades slipped from his grasp as he covered his head with his hands, grunting as debris rained down on his shoulders.

Varian was the first to recover from the shock, taking advantage of the distraction to drive his sword into the bodies of two of the remaining orcs without remorse. The third was soon dispatched by Hawk, while the fourth had been unluckily crushed by an iron beam in the explosion.

"Is everyone alright?" Varian asked, lurching to his feet and dragging Bear with him.

Varian's ears were ringing from the force of the blast, but otherwise he was unharmed. He peered curiously upwards through the giant hole that had been torn the ceiling, his heart leaping into his throat as he realised that there was only one person in the Foundry who could have possibly cause  _that_  much damage.

"We're fine," Bear assured him, giving each of his fellow assassins a quick once over.

"What on earth was that?" Hawk breathed, following Varian's line of sight.

"That's  _her_ ," Varian said, with absolute certainty.

"Are you sure?" Fox asked skeptically, wiping down one of his blades against his thigh.

"If there's chaos and explosions, the Commander is sure to be somewhere nearby," Varian said, his voice warming with fierce pride at Auriana's destructive abilities.

He picked up his second blade where it had fallen, made his way to the door, and peered cautiously out into the corridor.

"We have to move," he urged his assassins. "If the Commander has made an escape attempt of her own and is moving through the Foundry, we run the risk of missing her in the confusion."

The SI:7 operatives nodded, and made their way carefully back out into the Foundry proper, their watchful eyes darting over the iron walls. Varian followed them silently, his heart thumping wildly in his chest as he sought the woman he loved.

 _Hold on, Auri,_  he thought desperately, as he lead the group towards the epicentre of the explosion.  _I'm coming._


	23. Auriana

Auriana had been transported to a world of nothing but white light and blinding pain. For a second she had no idea whether she was alive or dead, though admittedly she had expected that death would be far less agonising. Her head felt like it had been cleaved in two, and she couldn't remember a time when she wasn't screaming. Her throat was already rubbed raw, but she simply couldn't stop, crying out over and over again until her voice was utterly spent.

It seemed like an eternity before she regained some of her senses, but Auriana eventually realised that she had fallen to her knees, and that the arcane shackles had fallen away from her wrists. Her heart leapt in savage triumph and disbelief at her success, only to plummet a moment later as she looked down at her hands in horror. It seemed as if the runes from the ensorcelled chains had actually been burned  _into_ her arms. Bright white points of light stained her from fingers to elbows, as if her arms had been doused in arcane fire, and she hummed with so much energy that she could barely feel her fingertips.

It was at that moment that Auriana's addled mind remembered that Throk'gar had been in the room when she had broken the shackles, and he would most certainly not let her rebellion go unpunished. She scrambled backwards in sudden fear, ignoring her mutilated arms as she scanned the room for any signs of life and raised a shaking, luminous hand in preparation to defend herself. At least now she had her magic, though it felt vastly different from the comforting power that she had known all her life.

Strangely, however, Throk'gar appeared to be no longer in the room. Auriana's vision was cloudy, and the world around her seemed to have been filtered through a strange, glowing light, but she couldn't see something that could possibly resemble an orc. In fact, there didn't seem much of  _anything_  in her immediate vicinity. At the back of the room, half of the  _floor_ itself was missing, revealing one of the Foundry's lower levels. Thick black smoke billowed upwards through the gap, making it even more difficult to see, but Auriana was certain she could just make out what looked like great cracks in each of the room's four walls. The table that had sat in the centre of the small room was also gone, and a strange white dust blanketed the floor immediately in front of her.

Auriana reached out with trembling fingers and gathered some of the powder into her hand. She couldn't really see it against the white hot glow of her own flesh, but she could feel the powdered granules grate between her fingertips. It was coarse, and rough, like sand, but it sent funny shivers up her arm as she poured it slowly back down to the ground. There was something familiar about the dust that she couldn't place, and for some reason she thought of her former home in Theramore. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, trying to catch the fleeting thought, but it was gone as quickly as the dust flowing through her fingers.

She reached for another handful of powder, hoping it would fire her addled memories, and was surprised to feel her hand brush against something metallic. She grasped for it desperately, wondering if it was a weapon that she could use, only to realise that it was a useless piece of a belt buckle. Auriana frowned in confusion, though something told her that the belt buckle was important.

 _Throk'gar,_  she dimly recalled,  _Throk'gar was wearing a belt..._

Horrified, Auriana jerked her hand backwards and sent the buckle flying across the room. With growing revulsion, she knew that the powder must have been all that remained of the orc torturer, completely vaporised by the wild magic she had used to break the arcane shackles. Auriana then realised that all the other damage - the wall, the floor, and the billowing smoke - had all been because of  _her_ , and the terrible magic she had cast to escape.

 _Get out!_  the still-lucid part of her mind screamed.

It was so hard to  _think_ , but she knew that her explosive escape would never have gone unnoticed, and someone would be after her soon. Luckily, the chains around her ankles had been shattered in the blast that had killed Throk'gar, and Auriana was free to stagger to her feet. Her abused and tortured body screamed in protest, but she was running on pure adrenaline and the strange magical energy that was at once both familiar and entirely alien. She stumbled for the door, blinking rapidly as she tried to concentrate all her attention on escaping. Auriana felt as if she were at once drunk, insane, and half-asleep, and it was frustratingly difficult to get her mind and her limbs to cooperate with one another.

As Auriana's hands brushed the door, what remained of her conscious mind suddenly realised that any guards outside had to have heard her screaming, though she did wonder why they had not yet come to investigate. She lurched out into the corridor, hands raised defensively, only to see more of the white powder that marked the victims of her spell. There were no guards anywhere to be seen, and Auriana dimly wondered how large an explosion she had caused. The entire corridor outside her prison was filled with the black smoke she had observed earlier, and to her left she could see something that actually looked like flames. Confused, she took two steps towards the fire, only to realise that she was heading in the wrong direction. Auriana was rapidly losing lucidity the more energy she expended, and she knew it was likely only a matter of time before she lost her faculties all together.

Something suddenly moved on her right, and Auriana threw her hand out blindly to cast a spell. Instead of the familiar, precise beauty of her frost magic, however, something white hot and terrifying erupted from her fingertips, and half the corridor was blown apart. Whatever had moved against her was surely dead, and Auriana was taken aback by her own unfettered power. A moment later, however, a crippling pain lanced through Auriana's right temple and she screamed, slamming her shoulder into the wall as she fell to one knee. Her new-found abilities may have been unbelievably powerful, but they evidently came at a cost.

Auriana heard the sound of shouts and clanging metal from somewhere ahead, and she realised that her scream must have attracted any nearby orcs. She threw herself thoughtlessly forward towards the patrol, gripping the wall for guidance as she staggered around the corner. She was still lucid enough to recognise surprise on each and every one of the orcish faces before she summoned her will and struck hard and fast.

The corridor lit up like it had been hit by lightning, and black spots danced in the corner of Auriana's eyes as she expended her magic. For a second, her mind went entirely blank and she actually forgot who she was, only to be brought crashing back to reality as the backlash from the spell hit her with full force. Auriana felt fresh blood spurt from her nose and ears, and she barely managed to stay on her feet. The orcs, however, had fared far worse, and Auriana grunted in faint satisfaction as she stumbled forwards over their charred remains.

Auriana forced herself on through the Foundry in a demented rampage. It was a terrifying experience, faltering through the dimly lit corridors with failing senses and weakening limbs, but she knew that she couldn't ever stop. Her nerves were all but frayed, and her heart leapt into her throat every time something made a noise. Auriana killed indiscriminately, hurling uncontrolled bursts of raw magic at anything that moved nearby.

She lost track of the many orcs she slaughtered as she pressed forwards, but with a sinking feeling in her heart she realised that she had no chance of escaping the labyrinthine Foundry before finally succumbing to her terrible injuries. While the orcs couldn't hope to stand against her brutal magical skills, Auriana had no idea where in the Foundry she was, and she couldn't keep stumbling around indefinitely. Her vision was rapidly darkening, and the Foundry now only appeared to her in muted shades of grey. It was hard to pick out individual shapes, and it was all she could do not to run into the walls or trip over her own feet.

She heard a loud, sudden cry from behind her and whirled, ready to annihilate the newest threat, when she was vaguely aware of someone calling her by  _name_. Auriana paused, confused and half convinced that she had imagined the sound. The voice that had spoken was deep and rich, but strangely sounded more human than orc, though of course that was absurd. As far as Auriana knew, she was the only human in the Foundry, and she wondered if she'd finally lost her mind.

"Auriana?" the voice repeated. "It's me, you're safe. Auri, can you hear me?"

The voice sounded far too soft, as if from very far away, but she was certain now that it  _had_  said her name. She staggered towards the sound, her hands half-raised, when she was abruptly enveloped in what felt like a set of warm and impossibly strong arms. Her first instinct was to resist, but there was something oddly familiar about whoever – or whatever – it was who now held her. Even more strangely, the arms seemed to cradle her, rather than cause her more pain.

"Please… Auri..." the voice said insistently. "It's me, it's Varian."

"Varian?" she rasped, her mind still coherent enough to recognise that all too precious name. "No. No, I won't give you Varian. I'd rather die. I'll kill myself if I have to. I'll blow apart this entire Foundry before I'll let you touch him."

She threw herself backwards and struggled wildly, but the powerful arms held her firm, and in her weakened state there was little Auriana could do to resist. She couldn't even extricate her hands far enough to cast a spell, and after a minute of ineffective defiance, Auriana finally slumped her head in defeat.

"That really won't be necessary," the voice said soothingly. "Auri, please. I need you to pay attention. We have to get out of here."

"What's wrong with her?" a second voice asked.

This voice was higher pitched than the first, and it sounded far less familiar, though still oddly human. Auriana lifted her head, trying to figure out who held her, but all she could make out was one huge, nondescript shape above her, and three smaller, blurred figures to the side. She couldn't for the life of her understand why she wasn't already dead, and why these four people all seemed to know who she was.

"She… she's been badly tortured," the deeper voice replied. "We need to get her out of here."

"But what happened to her arms?" someone else asked, what sounded like a woman this time. "Why are her eyes glowing like that?"

"I have no idea," the deep voice said. "We can figure that out later. Right now, we need to get back to Khadgar."

Auriana heard faint movement, and then felt a strange swooping sensation in her stomach as she was lifted into the air. She cried out in pain and fear, and swung her fist violently at the large figure who held her fast. She heard the figure grunt, but surprisingly it didn't strike out at her in retaliation, merely tightening its grip to keep her still.

"I can't carry her if she's thrashing around like that," the deep voice said, "And she could kill us all if she lets loose with her magic."

"Here," the female voice said. "This might help."

Auriana suddenly realised that there was a hand right underneath her nose, and she smelled something irresistibly earthy and cloying.

"What's that?" the deep voice asked.

"Powdered bruiseweed and dragonspine," the female replied. "It's a mild sedative. It won't knock her out, but it will calm her down."

Auriana's limbs felt suddenly warm and heavy, and she could no longer lift her head. Her entire body went strangely numb, and she felt very, very sleepy. She gave up all hopes of fighting back as her mind went blissfully blank, and surrendered herself to whatever fate this new group of people had in store for her.

"That's better," the deep voiced figure said, carefully adjusting Auriana's position over what she realised was its shoulder. "Alright, let's move."

The Foundry flew by in a blur of unexpected movement as the figure holding Auriana began to run. The movement jostled her painfully, but it wasn't any worse than trying to move on her own. She couldn't see much of anything at all, but she could hear the faint clash of steel on steel, and the wild war cries of orcs. The figure holding her was breathing heavily as they raced down the corridors of the Foundry, but its pace never once slackened, nor did its feet ever falter. Auriana realised that it was also carrying a sword, and somehow seemed to be to fending off orcs while at the same time holding her secure over its broad shoulder.

Auriana no longer had any concept of time, and she drifted in and out of consciousness as what seemed to be a fierce battle raged all around her. She didn't know if she were being kidnapped or rescued, but at this point she was simply beyond caring. She caught only brief glimpses of slain orcs and flashing steel as she was spirited away, and only when she suddenly felt a cool breeze on her face did she somewhat return to her senses.

Auriana somehow managed to lift her head, and she turned her face upwards to what appeared to be a brilliant night sky. It was impossibly peaceful when compared to the terror and chaos of the Foundry, and Auriana wondered if she had actually died and was now in some strange sort of afterlife.

" _Light_... Varian…" a new voice breathed, and Auriana twitched as she felt a gentle hand on her cheek. "She's…"

"I know," the huge figure said, his voice cracking strangely. "I know. The best thing we can do is get her back to Stormwind immediately."

"I think I'm going to be sick," the new voice said. "Varian..."

"Just get that damn portal open, Khadgar!"

"Of course. Give me a minute," the newest voice said.

Auriana felt the thrum of nearby magic deep in her bones, as the large figure placed her gently on the ground. She vaguely felt a gentle hand in her hair, and bizarrely, what felt like a kiss against her forehead.

"It hurts," she croaked, her tortured throat constricting painfully as she formed the words.

"I know," the figure said, its deep voice wavering slightly. "But I'll have you home soon, and I'll have you healed, and... you're going to be alright. I promise you, Auriana."

"Home," Auriana slurred, the word stirring something deep within her rapidly failing consciousness.

"Yes. I'm going to get you back to Stormwind, and then I'm never letting you out of my sight again…"

The dark figure fell silent, and the last thing Auriana remembered was a bright flash of light, and the sensation of her body rising through the air once more. She heard a thunderous rumbling in her ears, before the last vestiges of her strength finally failed, and everything faded to black.


	24. Varian

Khadgar returned Varian, Auriana, and the SI:7 rogues directly to the Keep of Stormwind, managing to land them right outside Varian's chambers. Without pause, Varian carried Auriana immediately to one of the Keep's guest rooms, choosing one of the large ambassadorial quarters close to his own. He laid her gently on the bed, not caring one whit for whether her blood would stain the expensive sheets.

Khadgar, the SI:7 rogues and two of his startled chamber guards followed Varian down the hall, standing back nervously as Varian carefully arranged Auriana into what he hoped was a comfortable position. She looked for all the world as if she were dead, and Varian had to constantly touch her neck and wrists to reassure himself that she was still alive.

"What's wrong with her arms? And her eyes?" he barked at Khadgar, refusing to move his gaze from Auriana's all too still form.

"I have absolutely no idea…" Khadgar said thoughtfully, approaching from behind Varian's left shoulder.

He reached out and gently touched one of Auriana's brilliantly glowing arms, only to jerk his hand back almost instantly as if shocked. His face contorted in both surprise and concern, which Varian did not find at all reassuring.

"This is unlike anything I've ever seen," Khadgar said slowly. "I think in this case, two heads might be better than one. With your permission, Varian, I'd like to go to Dalaran and fetch Jaina."

"Do whatever you have to, Khadgar," Varian said, "Just do it quickly."

"Of course," Khadgar said calmly.

The Archmage made to leave, but not before he placed a surprisingly father-like hand on Varian's shoulder.

"We have her back, Varian," Khadgar said quietly. "She's safe now, and I know we can figure this all out."

Varian didn't reply, but he nodded his thanks with genuine sincerity. Khadgar waved a hand and disappeared, and Varian only then remembered that his three SI:7 companions were still in the room. He rose to his feet slowly, temporarily turning his back on Auriana to address them.

"Head over to Stormwind Cathedral and summon one of the senior priests," Varian barked at Hawk. "If anyone questions you, tell them that you are there on my orders."

She nodded and fled from the room without a word, racing away on long legs. Varian gave silent thanks for her speed as he turned back to the other two rogues, who each watched him with anxious eyes.

"Bear, I'd like you to head through to Draenor. Travel to Lunarfall Garrison and inform a Lieutenant Thorn that her Commander has been rescued and taken to Stormwind," he said. "Fox, I'd have you return to SI:7 and debrief Master Shaw. Tell him everything we learnt of the layout of the Foundry, the information might be useful later."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Fox said quickly.

"And… thank you," Varian added quietly. "I couldn't have saved her without you."

"You are most welcome, Your Majesty," Bear added, his dark eyes both sympathetic and too knowing.

Varian knew that the SI:7 agents had very likely figured out that there was something between Auriana and himself, but he didn't have time to worry about the implications of such a revelation. Keeping their relationship secret was not a priority so long as Auriana's life hung in the balance, and Varian knew if he could trust anyone to be discreet, it would be SI:7.

After each of the SI:7 agents had departed and his guards had taken up position outside the chamber doors, Varian returned to take a seat on the bed by Auriana's side. She looked  _terrible_ , and Varian realised it was a minor miracle that she was alive. One entire side of her face was swollen and bloody, and he'd had enough experience with injuries to recognise a broken cheekbone when he saw one. Varian forced his eyes to travel downwards, though he didn't even what to think about what had happened to the rest of Auriana's body. She was covered from head to toe in dried blood, with only patches of her silvery skin visible amongst the gore. Varian gripped her hand tightly, clinging to her softly fluttering pulse like a drowning man in a storm.

The longer he waited, the more frustrated and useless Varian felt. The best he could offer Auriana was a comfortable bed, but she needed so much more. He took to pacing around the room and grinding his teeth, wondering what was taking Hawk so long.

He was just about ready to jump out the window and run to the Cathedral himself, when the door opened and an elegant blonde woman stepped into the room. Despite the late hour, she looked perfectly wide awake, and her sharp amber eyes quickly found Auriana.

"High Priestess," Varian said, rising to his feet. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"Your Majesty," High Priestess Laurena replied, sweeping over to Auriana's bedside.

She touched a pale hand to Auriana's forehead and her lips drew into a thin line.

"Oh, Light," she murmured. "What happened here?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know for sure," Varian said. "I know she's been tortured. She was captured by orcs."

"Poor thing," Laurena said, more to herself than Varian. "What happened to her arms?"

"Again, I don't know," Varian said, feeling very stupid. "I have two Archmages working on it, however."

"I see," Laurena said softly. "Well, let's see what we've got."

Her hands glowed brightly as she began to work, and Auriana's still body was gently bathed in golden light. Laurena took to muttering quietly as she worked, moving from Auriana's shattered cheek and down her arms. Varian struggled to remain silent as he watched, wanting to check on every move the High Priestess made. He forced himself to settle for hovering awkwardly over her shoulder instead, though Laurena was kind enough to ignore the obvious intrusion as she continued to work.

About ten minutes after Laurena had arrived, Khadgar returned with Jaina in tow. Judging from her dishevelled hair and wrinkled clothes, Jaina had been roused directly from sleep. Her pale eyes will still sharp, however, and she was all business as she joined Varian and Laurena.

"Oh  _no_ …" the Archmage breathed, her beautiful face falling in dismay as she looked down at Auriana. "Varian… I'm so sorry…"

"Save it, Jaina," Varian said stiffly. "You help me by helping her."

"Of course," Jaina said gently, "Though I have no idea where I'd even start..."

She reached out for one of Auriana's glowing arms, only to be stopped by High Priestess Laurena, who stilled Jaina's hand with a shake of her head.

"No," the High Priestess said firmly. "I understand your curiosity, Archmage, but right now she needs  _healing_. I won't have you poking and prodding her until she's stable. She's alive, but I'm not going to be able to keep her that way if she's being used as a science experiment."

Laurena's clever eyes swept to Varian's face, and she frowned.

"Archmage Jaina, Archmage Khadgar, I strongly suggest you take the King back to his quarters and clean him up," she said. "It will give me a chance to stabilise this unfortunate young woman."

Varian growled at the thought of leaving Auriana, so loudly that both Jaina and Khadgar stepped away from him in alarm, but he could see the wisdom in Laurena's suggestion. She needed space to work, and right now neither Varian, Khadgar, or Jaina were of any use to Auriana.

"Very well," he grunted. "But you send for me the moment anything changes."

Varian stalked back to his chambers, Jaina and Khadgar following close on his heels. They said nothing directly to him as he walked, nor when he retreated to his bedroom to trade his blood soaked battlegear for a clean pair of breeches and a tunic. They were deep in conversation when he returned to his antechamber, however, and both looked up somewhat guiltily at his approach.

"Any ideas?" Varian asked roughly.

"Khadgar was just talking me through the rescue," Jaina explained. "I can't believe you went all the way to Draenor, Varian. What would have happened had you been captured?"

"You're not my mother, Jaina," Varian said warningly, "And I'm perfectly fine, so it's a moot point. I'm far more interested in what you intend to do about… whatever it is Auriana's managed to do to herself this time."

"As I said earlier, it isn't a something I've come across before," Jaina said. "Quite frankly, Varian, without knowing precisely what she did to cause that damage… I doubt I'll be able to help."

"We could wake her up," suggested Khadgar. "She could provide us with valuable information."

"She could barely speak back at the Foundry," Varian pointed out. "I'm not sure you'd get anything useful from her."

"Still, it's worth a try," Jaina said, exchanging a glance with her fellow Archmage. "After she's been treated by the High Priestess, of course."

Varian nodded curtly, and swiftly made his way back to the ambassador's chambers where he had left Auriana in Laurena's care. It had already been fifteen minutes since he had been apart from his young mage, and as far as Varian was concerned, that was fifteen minutes too long. Jaina and Khadgar each walked by Varian's side, both shooting him concerned glances all along the way.

As if sensing his approach, High Priestess Laurena emerged from the room at the same time as Varian and the Archmagi returned, her normally serene face strained.

"Well, Your Majesty, she's not going to die on us immediately," Laurena said quietly, ushering Varian out of earshot of the guards. "She's sleeping, and I've treated the worst of her injuries."

Varian breathed an audible sigh of relief, but he soon grew concerned once more at the look on Laurena's face.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"I can heal her physical wounds, but it seems as if there's something wrong with her magic," Laurena explained. "I'm afraid this is where my expertise ends."

"What do you mean, there's something wrong with her magic?" Khadgar asked.

"It's hard to put into words," Laurena said, frowning thoughtfully. "It feels as if…"

Whatever Laurena felt remained unsaid, however, as she was interrupted by a mighty crack. The Archmagi, High Priestess and King all whirled as one to face the door to Auriana's chambers, only to see it go flying through the air as it was blasted off its hinges. Both of the guards were thrown heavily to the floor and remained there, each unmoving.

"What on earth…?" Jaina breathed, striding unhesitatingly into Auriana's room.

Unbelievably, Jaina was in there for barely half a minute before she was unceremoniously ejected in much the same manner as the door. Varian and Khadgar both watched in amazement as she was thrown through the air like a ragdoll, her lithe body bound in bands of white light that slammed her hard into the floor.

A second later, Auriana herself emerged from the room, her arms and eyes glowing with similar white fire as she gazed murderously down at Jaina. Jaina raised a shield in defense, but even Varian could see that it wouldn't be enough. Auriana was on the warpath, it seemed, and in such a state Varian knew there were few who could stand against her.

Auriana slammed a spell into Jaina's shield ruthlessly, and for a second the entire corridor was illuminated by blinding white light. Varian peered around desperately for any sign of Jaina as his vision returned, and was horrified to see that she had collapsed, unconscious, under the weight of Auriana's attack. Her shield had kept her alive, if just barely, but Auriana was already preparing a second deadly blow.

Khadgar suddenly darted forward with a spryness that defied his looks, and ensnared Auriana's right wrist mere seconds before she slaughtered the other Archmage. Auriana whirled at the new threat, her eyes quite literally burning with arcane fire. She raised her hands menacingly, and Varian realised that she was about to cast directly at Khadgar, Laurena, and himself. He grabbed Laurena none too carefully by the waist and pulled her around the corner to relative safety, trusting that Khadgar could defend himself. As much as Varian wanted to help Auriana, he knew that only Khadgar could possibly have a chance of matching her in her current state.

Once certain that Laurena was safe, Varian peered back around the corner, and to his horror saw that Auriana and Khadgar were now engaged in an all-out magical duel, each hurling spell after spell at one another down the narrow corridor.

"Careful, Khadgar!" Varian yelled, as a streak of white frost missed Auriana by inches.

"It's not me who needs to be careful, Varian!" the Archmage shot back. " _She's_  the one who's trying to kill  _me_ , not other way around."

The two mages duelled back and forth, sending spells flying faster than Varian would have thought possible. Khadgar, of course, was restricted by the fact that he didn't want to actually  _harm_ Auriana, though Varian began to suspect that doing her some harm was the only way that she could be stopped. The Archmage had his hands entirely full with containing the younger mage, his wizened face creased in concentration as he looked for an opening. Varian had never seen two mages of such power duel in earnest before, and he might have been impressed if not for the deadly seriousness of the situation.

Unfettered by caution, it was Auriana who soon gained the upper hand over the comparatively encumbered Khadgar. In a single, heart-stopping second, she unleashed a blinding wave of arcane light and threw Khadgar backwards a good fifteen feet. He hit the Keep wall with a sickening crack and crumpled to the ground, and Auriana screamed in triumph. At the exact same moment,  _Anduin_  of all people emerged from around the corner in the other arm of the corridor, and Varian entered his own personal nightmare as Auriana rounded on his son.

"Father, what on earth is all this commotion…?" the Prince started, his voice trailing off and his blue eyes widening as he took stock of the situation.

Auriana's fingertips crackled with fresh power as she stared Anduin down. The marks on her arms flared even brighter, and Varian realised that with all certainty she was going to kill Anduin. Varian couldn't imagine being in a worse position than having his beloved, only son killed by the woman he loved when she was out of her mind, but if Khadgar and Jaina had barely been able to hold out against Auriana, then Anduin wouldn't stand a chance.

" _No_!" Varian screamed, dashing out into the corridor.

He skidded to a stop about ten feet away from Auriana, respectful of the deadly spell now aimed precisely at his chest. However, it appeared that Auriana was confused by the sudden presence of two targets, and she hesitated, one hand stretched towards Varian, and the other back in Anduin's direction. Varian raised his hands cautiously in surrender, not wanting to provoke her into sudden action, and very mindful of the fact that she could kill both Anduin and himself in seconds if she were roused. Varian did  _not_ want to find out if he were willing to sacrifice the woman he loved to save his son, but it appeared that she wasn't going to give him much of a choice.

"Auri,  _please_ ," he begged. "You are in Stormwind. You are safe, and I need you to  _stop_."

"Varian?" she whispered, and he saw her fingers begin to tremble. "Is that… is it you?"

"It's me," he said, hope swelling in his chest. "I promise you. Please, just stop. Let us help you."

For a second, Varian thought he might have gotten through to Auriana, before her face twisted and her hands glowed even brighter.

"No!" she snapped. "I will not fall for your lies, Throk'gar! You will rue the day you ever took my magic away from me!"

Varian's eyes widened, and only his astonishingly fast reflexes saved him as Auriana unleashed her magic, bathing the corridor in white light once more. Varian threw himself sideways at the last minute, and felt the heat of the spell rush over his head as he scrambled back around the corner for protection.

"Auriana!" Anduin called suddenly. "Stop!"

Varian's heart leapt into his throat as Auriana swung her head back to face the Prince. Surprisingly, however, Anduin looked completely unafraid, and made no move to run or defend himself. Instead, he raised a calming hand, his fingertips aglow with all the power of the Light.

"Auriana," he said, his voice soothingly calm. "Put your hand down. You don't want to do this."

Miraculously, Auriana paused, and she cocked her head to the side. Her hand wavered, and some of the glow faded from her arms.

"That's it," Anduin continued patiently, ever the negotiator. "Very good. I know you're hurting, but I can help."

He was walking slowly down the corridor towards Auriana, keeping her in his thrall with both his power and his hypnotic voice. Auriana seemed to be listening, but Varian realised he couldn't possibly take the chance that she would change her mind. He threw himself back to his feet and charged down the corridor, using Auriana's distraction with Anduin to tackle her from behind.

She grunted painfully as she went sprawling to the floor, but Varian wasted no time on pity. He flipped her over, pinning her beneath his powerful body, and quickly yanked her arms up above her head. Auriana snarled up at him like a wild animal, and the glow about her arms and eyes brightened twofold. Varian then realised that with our without her hands, Auriana would find a way to use her magic to kill him, and he knew there was only one thing he could do.

"I'm sorry, Auri," he murmured. "I'm so sorry."

Hating himself, Varian raised a hand and hit Auriana hard across the side of her head. She went limp instantaneously, entirely incapacitated by Varian's expertly placed blow. He had been a gladiator for a long time, and knew exactly where and how to hit someone with enough force to render them unconscious, though he had never expected to have to use his skills on Auriana.

For a second, Varian didn't move, wanting to make sure that she was out, though he eventually allowed himself to rise to his feet with a long and shuddering sigh. Breathing heavily, both from fear and exertion, Varian looked back down the corridor. Both Khadgar and Jaina had regained consciousness, as had the guards, and they were all looking at him with a strange mix of expressions ranging from concern to stunned surprise. Laurena poked her head around the corner, and she quickly moved to attend to the two Archmagi the moment she realised Auriana had been successfully taken down.

From the other direction, Anduin came running towards Varian, his blue eyes huge.

"You didn't have to do that, Father," the Prince said reproachfully, as he skidded to a halt. "I was starting to get through to her."

"Do you think I wanted to?' Varian said painfully, revolted with himself. "She was rabid, Anduin, I couldn't take the risk that she would harm you."

"She's still in there, Father, you saw it," Anduin argued. "She wouldn't have hurt me."

"I couldn't take the chance," Varian repeated stiffly.

Anduin knelt down and gently brushed a dark strand of hair from Auriana's face. He touched her shattered cheek gently, and shivered slightly at his eyes raked over her unconscious body.

"What happened to her, anyway?" he asked. "I've never seen so much damage."

"She was taken by Blackrock orcs," Varian said gruffly.

"Why didn't you call me?" Anduin demanded. "I could have helped."

"I thought to spare you," Varian said quietly. "She… she's been very badly tortured."

Varian touched a hand to his eyes, trying not to show Anduin his pain, but the golden-haired Prince was far too perceptive. He reached across and squeezed Varian's arm reassuringly, his blue eyes radiating kindness.

"You don't have to do this alone, Father. I'm here for you," Anduin said quietly, so that only Varian could hear. "Come now. Let's get her up, and we'll see what we can do to fix all this. Together."


	25. Varian

In the aftermath of Auriana's attack, Varian took responsibility for taking her back to bed, while Laurena and Anduin tended to Jaina, Khadgar and the fallen Stormwind guards. Once certain that the little mage was safe, comfortable, and most definitely  _unconscious,_ Varian then reemerged into the corridor to check on both his son and his friends.

Jaina was propped up against the wall, though Khadgar had managed to drag himself back to a standing position. Both mages looked rather shell-shocked, but otherwise seemed largely unharmed. The guards, too, were on their feet, and Varian was pleased to see that they would be well. Most of the real damage, it seemed, had been done to the corridor, with chunks of rubble scattered along the ground and great scorch marks on the walls.

"Well, she's out like a light," Varian informed the group. "At least for now."

"That girl hits like a siege engine," Jaina said ruefully, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'd forgotten."

"I'm sorry about your head," Varian said, crouching down to touch her shoulder in concern.

"It's my own fault," Jaina winced. "It didn't even occur to me that she'd be dangerous when I walked into that room. She took me completely by surprise. We're lucky she wasn't at full strength. I can't imagine what would have happened if she hadn't been so badly injured."

"If it's anyone's fault, it's mine," Laurena said softly. "I did not expect that she would wake up so soon, and I should not have left her alone. She must have been disoriented and very frightened."

"You couldn't have predicted what would happen," Varian said charitably, trying to keep his tone neutral, though privately he agreed with the High Priestess.

"Still, I shall make certain that she is not left unsupervised again, Your Majesty," Laurena said, frowning slightly. "Speaking of which, Archmage Khadgar, if you no longer need me, I'll attend to her at once."

"I'm quite alright," Khadgar said firmly, "Even for an old man."

Laurena nodded gracefully, smiling slightly at Khadgar's wit, before turning on her heel and making her way back to Auriana's side. Varian pulled Jaina to her to her feet, holding her steady until he was certain that she'd regained her balance.

"You should try to get some sleep, Father," Anduin urged him.

"I'm fine," Varian said dismissively, though he knew there was a certain wisdom to his son's words.

"Auriana is perfectly safe with me and the High Priestess," Anduin argued, "And the guards will be right outside. You aren't of any use to her if you're going to keel over from exhaustion."

"He's right, Varian," Jaina added. "You've had a long night."

"I meant you, too, Aunt Jaina," Anduin countered. "And you, Khadgar. If we're going to help Auriana, we all need to be at our full strength. Laurena and I can handle it for now, and you can all return in the morning, after you have rested."

Varian opened his mouth to argue, but realised that he didn't actually have a valid counterpoint. As long as Auriana was unconscious and in need of healing, there was nothing either he, Jaina, or Khadgar could do.

"Fine," he conceded, though he was not at all pleased. "I'll be in my quarters. Jaina, Khadgar, you are of course welcome to use any of the guest quarters along these corridors. Though Anduin… if something happens and you don't send for me immediately…"

"There will be hell to pay," Anduin finished, a faint smile in his eyes. "I'm well aware, Father."

"Good," Varian said firmly. "And… thank you. All of you. I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

Despite promising Anduin that he would try, Varian managed to get only a few hours of fitful sleep. It was impossible to relax when all he could think about was Auriana, and whether or not his son would be caught in the crossfire if she went rogue a second time. He finally gave up all pretence just after dawn, fully prepared to bully anyone out of his way as he stomped back to Auriana's makeshift quarters.

The first thing Varian noticed upon his return that parts of the corridor had already been cleared, and that someone had re-hinged the door to Auriana's room. It appeared that Stormwind Keep's guards and servants were remarkably efficient, and he warmed slightly with pride at the thought. Varian pushed open the door and made his way into the room, where to his surprise he found both Jaina and Khadgar already awake. Laurena and Anduin were there too, of course, having worked through the night to save Auriana. Varian was comforted to see that Anduin looked pale but alert, his hands afire with the power of the Light as he hovered diligently over his patient.

As Varian walked forwards, he noted that someone had cleaned the gore and grime from Auriana's body, and had somehow found her a modest white nightgown. The sheets had also been changed, and the room was no longer thick with the cloying scent of blood. To Varian's further relief, he saw that the blinding glow along Auriana's lower arms had faded somewhat, and her shattered cheekbone was back in place. She still had some spectacular bruises, but on the whole she looked infinitely better than she had last night, which is why it was so strange that Laurena, Anduin, Khadgar and Jaina all looked like they were at a funeral.

"High Priestess?" he asked slowly.

"Your Majesty…" Laurena said, with a quick sideways glance at Anduin. "Are… are you well rested?"

"No," Varian said truthfully, "But that's to be expected. How's Auriana?"

Laurena shook her head sadly, and Varian was suddenly very, very afraid.

"I'm not sure how to tell you this, my Lord, but… she's dying."

" _What?_ " Varian demanded, looking to his son in disbelief.

Anduin confirmed the High Priestess' statement with a slow nod, his eyes downcast.

"You're supposed to be one of the best healers in Stormwind!" Varian accused Laurena. "How is it possible that she's  _dying_?"

"It's not her injuries," Laurena said gently, sympathy written on every line of her face. "They are severe, of course, but nothing that can't be treated with time and patience."

"It's her magic," Khadgar interjected quietly, running a hand over his chin.

"But her glow has faded," Varian argued. "Surely that's a good sign."

"She's not glowing brightly because she isn't currently channeling," Jaina explained. "I wasn't sure until I saw her cast magic, but I think I have an inkling of what's going on."

She paused, glancing over at Khadgar as she struggled for the right words.

"Magic… has rules," Jaina started, "And consequences. You can't just impose your will on reality without any concern for the laws of the natural universe. For some reason, however, Auriana is channeling raw magic; magic that hasn't been refined or shaped into a manageable form. There's an excess of it her system, and it's killing her."

"Auriana's strong," Varian countered. "Surely if anyone could survive such thing, it would be her."

Jaina shook her head, and Khadgar suddenly looked very grave.

"There's a reason we have rules, Varian," Jaina said darkly. "A mortal body is not equipped to handle untempered magic. She's essentially burning up from the inside out."

Varian swore, and narrowly resisted the urge to put his fist through the Keep wall. He seethed with anger and a horrific sense of dread as he contemplated losing another woman that he loved. He'd risked so much to save Auriana, and just when he thought she was safe, it appeared that he was going to lose her again.

"The problem is, I don't know why she has lost the ability to channel her magic as normal," Jaina continued calmly. "If I had a better idea of what actually happened to her in the Foundry, we might be able to help her..."

She trailed off, her pale eyes wide, and for a long moment there was nothing but silence.

"We need to wake her up," Khadgar surmised.

"Thank you, Khadgar, I had figured that out," Varian snapped. "Well… let's get on with it, then. Jaina, start talking. Find out what you need to know."

"Actually, Father," Anduin said slowly, "We… we all thought you should be the one to talk to her."

"Me?" Varian said. "Why?"

"She's… uh… more  _familiar_ with you than anyone else," Jaina said delicately. "We thought you'd have the best chance of getting through to her."

Varian raised his eyebrows at Jaina's turn of phrase, but no one seemed to be willing to look him in the eye.

"Very well. I'll try," he said gruffly, moving to sit by Auriana's side. "What do you want me to do?"

"I'm going to bring her out of the enchanted sleep, slowly this time," Laurena explained. "Once she's awake, just… talk to her. Try to keep your voice low and calm, she's likely to still be confused and upset. With any luck, however, you should be able to get her to tell you what happened in the Foundry."

Varian nodded seriously, though he wasn't sure if he really wanted to know what Auriana had endured.

"Anduin, I'm going to use my powers to stablise her and keep her as lucid as possible," Laurena instructed. "I need you to keep an eye on her pulse, and be prepared to put her back under if she gets distressed. Can you do that?"

"Of course, High Priestess," Anduin said confidently.

The Prince walked around to the other side of the bed and took Auriana's wrist in his hand. His face was set but determined, and he looked back at Varian as if daring his father to object. Varian very seriously considered throwing Anduin from the room for his own protection, but he realised that there was no one he trusted with Auriana's life more than his son.

"Alright," Varian said grimly. "Wake her up."

Laurena touched her hands to Auriana's temples, and her fingers pulsed with soft golden light. Auriana moved in her sleep, her nose crinkling as she slowly returned to consciousness. Her eyes abruptly flew open, and Varian was desperately relieved to see that they had returned to the brilliant shade of blue that he remembered so fondly.

"Auri?" Varian said softly.

She shied away from him, and her eyes and arms suddenly flared, but she lay still as Varian reached out and gently stroked her arm. Auriana shivered at his touch, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the light. Varian felt very exposed, touching her so intimately in front of so many people, but once again he felt that such exposure was a fair price to pay for Auriana's life.

"Easy," he murmured. "You're safe. Can you talk?"

"I… yes," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "But it hurts. Where am I?"

"Stormwind Keep," Varian said, heeding Laurena's advice to speak quietly.

"It's hard to see," Auriana said. "I… Varian?"

"Yes," he said, encouraged. "I'm here."

"What are you doing here?" she asked breathlessly. "You…we have to get out… you aren't safe..."

"No, no," Varian said softly. "We're in Stormwind, Auri, look…"

"I… it's so hard to  _concentrate,_ " she said painfully, writing uncomfortably against her sheets. "Why… why does everything  _hurt_  so much? What… what's wrong with my magic?"

Laurena shifted slightly, and the Light dancing at her fingertips glowed brighter. She shot Varian a warning look, and her message was clear: keep Auriana  _calm._

"I know, Auri," Varian said soothingly. "I can help you, but… but I need you to tell me what happened in the Foundry."

"The Foundry?" she asked, sitting up in alarm and pushing Varian's hand out of the way. "This is another trick… we're still in the Foundry..."

"No," Varian said quickly, trying to keep her in hand. "I promise you, we're in Stormwind, and you're with me. I won't… I won't let any harm come to you."

Auriana's eyes went suddenly unfocused and she shook her head. Varian could see her hands shaking wildly, and she looked at him with an expression of agonised revulsion as her eyes filled with tears.

"No," she said emphatically. "I…  _no_. You will  _not_ break me… not even if you use  _his_  face… I can't... please…"

She was openly weeping now, and insisting over and over again that she wouldn't talk. Varian realised things were getting rapidly out of hand, and subconsciously he prepared for Auriana to once again unleash her magic.

"It's me, Auri, really," he insisted, though he knew it was of little use.

Auriana was already too far gone, and Varian bitterly regretted allowing himself to be talked into making the attempt.

"You bastard," she spat suddenly, her face contorting. "I'll have your head, Blackhand, you  _sick_ son of a bitch. You…  _can't_ … you can't use him against me like this… not  _him_ … I'll kill myself, and I'll take this whole damn Foundry with me."

"Auri, I swear to the Light, it's me…" Varian said, his voice low and desperate. "Please..."

"No!" Auriana screamed.

She thrashed violently, her eyes blazing once again with power, and it took both Varian and Khadgar to hold her down.

"Knock her out," Laurena ordered Anduin urgently.

The room was filled with golden light as both priests reached for the Light. Mercifully, they worked quickly, and Varian and Khadgar only had to restrain Auriana for half a minute before she was once again incapacitated.

"Well, that was a disaster," Varian snapped, stepping away from the bed as if stung.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he paced the room, trying to not feel hurt and rejected by Auriana's refusal to believe him. He knew she was not in her right mind, but his failure cut deeply nonetheless.

"She still thinks she's being held by Blackhand, and that we are trying to extort information from her," Khadgar said worriedly. "I'm not sure we're going to be able to get through to her at all..."

"Let me try," Anduin said suddenly. "She was listening to me before."

"Anduin…" Varian said, frowning. "I'm not sure that's a good idea…"

"I can do it, Father," Anduin insisted. "We have to try."

Varian considered his son seriously, finding it difficult not to be swayed by the Prince's straightforward eagerness.

"Fine," he said finally, returning to his place by Auriana's side. "But be careful. She goes back under again the second she gets upset."

"Er… Varian…" Jaina said nervously. "I think it's perhaps best if you wait in the corner. Your presence obviously confuses and distresses her…"

Varian's chest swelled with quickening fury at the Archmage's words, and he wondered how Jaina could ask such a thing.  _No one_  had a right to tell him to stay away from Auriana, not even Jaina. He raised a hand to give her a piece of his mind, when Anduin spoke up once more.

"She's right, Father," Anduin said, his voice soft but intractable. "I'm sorry, but… she's right."

Varian snarled, but threw up his hands in defeat and stalked over to the edge of the room without another word. He folded his arms across his chest and glowered back at Jaina. To her credit, the Archmage did not take Varian's foul mood personally, only frowning compassionately, as Laurena once again began the process of bringing Auriana out of her enchanted sleep.

Auriana came back to consciousness more quickly than last time, once again blinking rapidly as she looked around the room. Her gaze fell on Anduin, who touched her hand reassuringly as she struggled to lift her head.

"Anduin?" she slurred dazedly, her eyes shifting in and out of focus. "I… no. This is another trick."

"I promise you, this isn't a trick," Anduin said gently. "It's really me, I swear."

Auriana shifted and twisted her hand from Anduin's grasp, becoming visibly distressed once more. Varian leant forward in alarm, only very narrowly resisting the urge to move back to her side.

"I don't believe you," Auriana said flatly. "I don't… no.  _No_."

"Auri, really, it's me…" Anduin repeated, "And I can prove it."

He reached into his tunic and pulled out a delicate, glowing glass vial suspended from a golden chain. Varian recognised the pendant as the one that contained the everlasting snowflake that Auriana had created with Anduin's help, and he wondered if it really would be enough to trigger her memory. Anduin pressed the vial gently into her palm, closing his fingers around her own small hand and squeezing tightly.

"See? Remember this? This is me. This is the Light. You know this," Anduin said soothingly.

Auriana blinked twice, and a flicker of recognition passed across her face.

"It's really you?" she said, though she still sounded uncertain.

"It's me," Anduin said, nodding as warmed her hands with golden Light. "Auri… I want to help you, but we need to know what happened in the Foundry. How did you escape?"

Auriana closed her eyes, but she did not seem as reluctant to talk to Anduin as she had been to talk to Varian.

"Shackles," she murmured. "They had me in arcane shackles. I broke them. I ran."

Both Jaina and Khadgar inhaled sharply at her words, though Varian didn't quite understand the significance of the statement.

"How did you do it?" Jaina asked gently, using the same modulated tone as Anduin. "How did you break the shackles?"

"I don't know," Auriana murmured. "I… the spell was there, and then… I made it disappear. I don't know… I used… I used my fury."

Jaina and Khadgar exchanged a look. Khadgar suddenly looked very old, while Jaina looked as if someone had just told her that down was up and black was white.

"I… that's impossible," Jaina said quietly, more to herself than anyone else. "That should have killed you."

"Better me than Varian," Auriana said softly.

"What?" Anduin prompted, his eyes briefly flicking up towards his Father.

"Blackhand… Blackhand wanted Varian," Auriana said heavily. "I couldn't let that happen. I knew that if I were dead, Varian would have no need to come to Draenor. I… I was prepared to die to save him."

"Why?" Varian demanded suddenly, his heart pounding like thunder in his ears.

Anduin and Jaina both shot him a look, but Varian didn't care, having never wanted another question answered more, and not knowing if he'd ever get another chance.

"Because… because I love him," Auriana whispered, her voice trembling. "I… I do, I love him."

It seemed as if all the air had been sucked out of the room, and every single face turned towards Varian. Laurena's eyes were wide with surprise, while Khadgar simply looked thoughtful. Jaina's face constricted with pity, while Anduin simply stared at him with heartbreaking compassion. For his part, Varian simply closed his eyes, at once both elated and terrified by those three precious words. He'd wanted to hear them so desperately, but now it seemed as if he were receiving his wish in the most twisted way possible, as Auriana lay dying before him.

Auriana's admission seemed to have broken something within her, too, and the sound of her wretched sobbing forced Varian to open his eyes. Her agony hurt him like a knife to the heart, and he wanted nothing more than to gather her in his arms and shield her from the world. Instead, he watched as Anduin reached for her hand once more, only for her to push him violently away. She threw Anduin's pendant back down on the bed and curled into a ball, her shoulders shaking as she wept.

"Please… Anduin… you have to help me," she moaned. "I can't do this. I… I feel like I'm on fire. It  _hurts_ so much, I don't know how much more of this I can take. I can't… I can't give them Varian. You have to help me."

"Of course I'll help you, Auri," Anduin said, confusion colouring his features. "Whatever you need."

"You don't understand!" she whispered. "I… I need you to kill me. I can't… I can't do this anymore. When you leave, they'll be back and… I'll break… I know I will… oh Light, Anduin, please… it hurts so much…  _please_ …"

"What?" Anduin said, turning his face towards Varian in shock and disbelief. "I…"

"Kill me," Auriana begged. "Please… oh Light, it  _hurts_. Anduin… I thought… I thought you were my friend… I thought you wanted to help… please…"

"I do…" Anduin stammered, "But… I... I can't do that… I can't, I'm so sorry..."

"Kill me!" Auriana screamed, throwing out a hand wildly and catching Anduin by the throat. "Kill me!"

Jaina and Khadgar both sprung to their feet in alarm, and Varian was already halfway across the room before he realised that rousing Auriana further was a terrible idea. Her arms and eyes suddenly flashed white hot as she reached for her magic, and she continued to scream for her death over and over. Anduin had frozen, completely horrified by Auriana's breakdown, and he made no attempt to free himself from her grip. Laurena's hands flared with similar power as she struggled to calm Auriana down, but the young mage was having none of it. Khadgar dived to control her thrashing lower limbs, while Jaina moved to break her stranglehold on Anduin.

"Get him out of here!" Jaina snapped at Varian, the second she had prised Auriana's fingers from the Prince's throat.

Varian didn't need to be asked twice, snatching up his son and dragging him towards the door. Somewhat surprisingly, Anduin didn't resist at all, allowing Varian to shove him outside into the relative safety of the corridor without argument. The last thing Varian saw as he closed the door was a bright flash of magic as Jaina and Khadgar made a desperate attempt to subdue Auriana, as the sound of her repeated death wish echoed horribly in his ears.


	26. Varian

Varian slammed the door behind him, trying to ignore the sound of Auriana's tortured screams. His hands were shaking badly, and he forced them into his pockets less Anduin see. He looked sideways to where his son now leant dejectedly against the wall, his wide eyes fixed straight ahead. Varian itched to return to Auriana's side, but right now he knew that he could be of far more use to his clearly traumatised son.

"Anduin?"

"Father," Anduin said flatly.

His voice sounded thick, and Varian realised that there were unshed tears in his bright blue eyes.

"Um… are… are you alright?" Varian tried. "I know that can't have been easy to watch."

Anduin stayed silent for a long while, his youthful features strained. It was a stark change from his usual lively self, and it concerned Varian greatly. The King shifted uncomfortably, rubbing a hand across his eyes, and he didn't know whether to press Anduin further or stay quiet.

"She's in so much pain," the Prince said finally, making Varian's decision for him.

"I know," Varian said darkly, leaning his broad frame back against the wall in the same fashion as Anduin.

"No, you don't," Anduin said, a slight edge creeping into his voice. "I… when I healed her, I saw what they did to her. Every cut, every burn, every broken bone.  _Everything_. It was  _awful_ , Father."

Varian winced. He was no stranger to the worst the world had to offer, but Anduin had been largely protected from such things. Anduin was very worldly and mature in some ways, but he had never known the pain of battle, and he certainly had never known torture or true suffering. Varian couldn't even begin to imagine what Auriana had gone through, and it pained him greatly to think of Anduin being exposed, even peripherally, to the genuine horror of war.

"How… how could anyone do that to another living being?" Anduin wondered, his voice hollow.

He looked up at Varian then, his face ashen. Varian placed a hand on his son's shoulder, unsure of what to say. Anduin was such a pure soul, and Varian knew he couldn't even conceive of the desire to cause another pain. The Prince could barely understand how people could be willing to kill one another in battle, let alone how they might torture one another or take pleasure in another's suffering.

"I don't know," Varian said gruffly. "I really don't. You know that I'm no stranger to violence, but I've never taken satisfaction in others' torment. I wish that I could offer you a better answer."

Varian squeezed Anduin's shoulder, but the Prince's haunted expression didn't change.

"Should I have done it?" he asked quietly.

"Done what?" Varian said, nonplussed.

"Should I… should I have killed her?" Anduin asked. "I could have, you know. I could have put her in a deep sleep, and slowly stopped her heart. She wouldn't have felt a thing."

Anduin looked down at the ground, his face intense.

"I've never heard someone beg for death before," he added. "She was sincere, too, I could see it in her eyes… but I couldn't do it. Not if there was a chance that there might be another way. Did I make the right choice?"

"I don't know. She's in a great deal of pain," Varian said heavily, though it broke his heart to admit his uncertainty. "I've killed soldiers out of mercy before, on the battlefield. It's never an easy choice... though I'm not sure this is the same thing."

"Because you love her?"

"Yes," Varian said quietly. "Or at least partially. The situation is somewhat different to that of the aftermath of a battle."

He looked over at the pensive Anduin.

"I'm sorry, that must seem strange to you," Varian said awkwardly. "My being in love with her, I mean."

"Oh, please, Father, I'm fairly sure I knew you loved her before  _you_ did," Anduin said, the ghost of a smile crossing his lips.

"Oh, really?" Varian said, surprised. "That's news to me."

"I suspected she'd be important to you from the moment you told me what transpired in Tanaan Jungle," Anduin said softly.

"This isn't some romance novel, Anduin. I didn't fall in love with her at first sight or anything ridiculous like that," Varian protested. "She simply… intrigued me."

"Precisely. How many other women have  _intrigued_ you since my mother died?" Anduin pointed out.

He sighed, and scratched his hair thoughtfully.

"I couldn't kill someone you loved, Father," he added. "Even if it were objectively the right thing to do. I could never hurt you so."

Varian looked down at his son and found that words had failed him once again, but this time, he knew exactly what to do. He reached out and pulled his son into a rough embrace. Anduin stiffened, evidently surprised by Varian's unusually demonstrative action, but he soon relaxed and gripped his father tightly.

"I'm so sorry," Anduin said quietly. "I wish there was something I could do."

"You helped to keep her alive," Varian said gratefully, releasing Anduin and stepping away. "And you managed to get her to talk. You've done more than anyone."

"I hope so," the Prince said sincerely. "With any luck, Aunt Jaina has already thought of a solution, and Auriana will be just fine."

Varian patted Anduin on the back, pleased to see that some of his son's irrepressible hopefulness had returned. Varian was far less optimistic about Auriana's chances, but it heartened him to see that Anduin's faith had not been entirely shaken.

"You should get some rest," Varian said. "You've been up all night."

"I  _am_  tired,' Anduin admitted. "Healing can be exhausting sometimes. I'll head back to my quarters… though you will fetch me if anything happens, won't you?"

"Of course I will," Varian said warmly. "She's your patient."

Anduin gave Varian a small, reassuring smile as he turned to go, pausing just before he rounded a corner and stepped out of Varian's sight.

"Oh, and Father?" he said, his blue eyes intense. "Promise me you won't ever ask Auriana what happened in that Foundry."

"What?" Varian asked, surprised by his son's request.

"She lived through it once," Anduin said darkly. "She doesn't need to live through it again."

* * *

After Anduin had departed, Varian slowly made his way back inside Auriana's chambers, where Laurena, Khadgar and Jaina were deep in conversation. They looked up as one as he approached, stepping back to allow Varian access to his fallen Commander.

Auriana lay quiet on the bed, in stark contrast to her earlier rabid outburst. If it wasn't for the fact that Varian could see the slight rise and fall of her chest, he would have believed her dead from the pallor of her skin and the eerie stillness of her body. He sat down by her side, reaching out a hand to brush a strand of silken hair from her forehead. As he did, he noticed the slight sparkle of gold next to her arm, and realised that in the earlier commotion Anduin's pendant had been discarded. He reached out to grasp the trinket and tuck it into his pocket, resolving to return it to Anduin as soon as possible.

"You've done excellent work with her, Laurena," Varian said softly.

"I only wish I could do more," the High Priestess said, "But I'm afraid these magical issues are quite beyond me."

Varian looked up at her thankfully, noting that she looked nearly as tired as Anduin.

"You should go get some rest," he told her gently. "She's going to need you again if she's to survive."

"I can't leave her alone," the High Priestess said firmly. "She needs to be attended by a healer at all times."

"Is there another priest you could send?" Varian suggested reluctantly.

He didn't really want to bring someone else into this mess, but he would rather have Laurena at her full strength, even if it meant risking another person finding out about his relationship with Auriana.

"Someone you trust, of course," he added. "Someone… discreet. I know I have no real right to ask this of you, but…"

"What is said in this room, stays in this room, Your Majesty," Laurena said firmly, her eyes sharp. "You are my King, and I will keep your secrets."

"That goes for all of us, Varian," Khadgar added.

Varian nodded, more grateful for their support and willingness to keep his secret than he could possibly say.

"That said… I do know of a priest who could take my place while I get some sleep. Someone I trust unconditionally," Laurena continued. "I will send her to the Keep as soon as I have returned to the Cathedral and given her the necessary instructions for Auriana's care."

"I can take you directly there, High Priestess," Khadgar offered. "It would save a considerable amount of time."

"I would appreciate it, Archmage," Laurena replied, looking down at Auriana with great concern. "I don't want to leave her alone for longer than I have to."

Without any further preamble, Khadgar opened a portal right in the very room and ushered Laurena through, pausing only to nod at Varian and exchange a significant look with Jaina before he vanished. Varian watched the Archmage and High Priestess disappear with a pensive frown, before he rose to his feet and turned to face Jaina.

"Is Anduin alright?" Jaina asked worriedly. "He must have found that frightening."

"He's fine," Varian said. "Tired, and a little shaken up, but he's fine. I sent him off to get some rest."

"Good," Jaina said genuinely. "And you? How are you holding up?"

"I'm  _spectacular_ ," Varian said bitterly. "How do you think I am, Jaina?"

He regretted the acrimonious mark the moment it left his mouth, but he supposed the damage was now done. Jaina looked as if she wanted to rebuke him for his sarcasm, but she bit her tongue, her pale eyes filled with compassion.

"Varian… I could take her back to Dalaran, if you preferred," Jaina said quietly. "She'd be safe there, and you wouldn't have to…"

"I wouldn't have to  _what_ , Jaina?" Varian snapped. "I'm well aware that I'm the most useless person in this situation, and that I can't do a damn thing to save her."

"That's not what I meant. We wouldn't be having this conversation at all if you hadn't retrieved her from the Foundry, Varian, you're far from useless. I merely thought to spare your feelings," she said gently. "I know… I know this can't be easy for you..."

"She's mine," Varian growled. "She stays in my Keep. If she… if she's going to die, then I want to be by her side."

"Of course," Jaina said softly, her beautiful face very serious. "It was simply an idea."

She tilted her head to the side, frowning as if struck by a sudden thought.

"What?" Varian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Was… was that the first time she told you she loved you?" Jaina asked hesitantly. "Just then, I mean."

Varian didn't want to be having this conversation with anyone, especially not right now, but he doubted Jaina would be dissuaded. She had an annoying habit of pressing and prodding until she got what she wanted, and Varian had never disliked that particular character trait of hers more.

"Yes," he said shortly. "It was."

"Oh, Varian..." the Archmage breathed, reaching out a hand and touching him gently on the forearm.

Varian pulled away, uncomfortable with the physical display of affection.

"Jaina, please," Varian said sternly. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you know I'm not one for sentiment. I need your help, not your pity."

Jaina suddenly looked very nervous, and she stared down at her hands. Varian narrowed his eyes, certain that there was something she wasn't telling him.

"What is it?" he demanded. "Is there something you can do for her? Tell me!"

"Khadgar and I had an idea," Jaina said slowly, "But you aren't going to like it."

"Don't make me ask again, Jaina," he growled, looming over her threateningly.

Jaina met his gaze calmly, though she ever so slightly shifted her weight backwards.

"Auriana was forced to do the impossible when she broke her arcane shackles to escape," Jaina explained. "The shackles were preventing her from touching her own magic, and in breaking them she tapped into raw magic, the magic unshaped by the rules of magecraft. As I said earlier, there's a reason we don't use raw magic. It's far too dangerous to be handled safely, and mortal bodies are ill-equipped for the physical consequences."

"Get on with it," Varian snapped. "I don't need a magical theory lesson."

"The short story," Jaina said reproachfully, "Is that when she broke herself out, the magic from the shackles and the raw magic fed back into her body. It's almost like she dropped a mana bomb on her own head. She's filled with her magic, but also the raw magic that escaped when she cast her spell… like… too much water in a dam. Eventually, it has to burst. It can't hold out forever"

"But if you drain the dam," Varian said slowly, cottoning on, "You can prevent the build-up of pressure."

"Precisely," Jaina said, nodding. "If we can burn the excess magic from her body, we could save her."

"So why haven't you tried to do so already?" Varian asked, suspecting there was more to it than what he had been told.

"It's not a simple spell, Varian, but that's not the main issue," Jaina said, her face grave. "The problem is, there's no real way of selectively targeting the raw magic, as opposed to Auriana's natural, normal magic. There's a chance - a very  _real_  chance - that we'll burn her out completely. She'd never be able to use magic again."

"She'd rather die," Varian said, with a powerful certainty.

"I know," Jaina said. "I understand that better than you do, in fact. You've never known magic, Varian, you can't really understand what we'd be forcing her to give up. Quite frankly, it makes me sick just thinking about it. I would never suggest such a thing if I thought there was another way, but…"

"Is it really possible?" Varian interrupted her, his voice tight. "How long would it take? Is there a chance she could survive with her magic intact?"

"Khadgar, Kalec and I could be ready to perform the ritual tomorrow," Jaina said. "And yes, there's a chance she'd come out unscathed, but only a slim one…"

"Kalec?" Varian asked, recognising the name of the great blue dragon, who coincidentally was also Jaina's lover.

"Yes. He's the Aspect of Magic," Jaina said. "I'm going to need to contact him for his help. This ritual is far beyond anything Khadgar or I have attempted before."

Varian fell silent and looked over at Auriana, trying to commit every gentle line and curve of her face to memory. He felt as if he had no right to make such a momentous decision for her, but at the same time he knew that he couldn't possibly let her die, not when there was even the slightest possibility of saving her life. Auriana alive without her magic was a damn sight better than her dead with it, as far as Varian was concerned, though he wondered if she would see things quite the same way. She had once described the use of magic to him as akin to the universe flowing through her veins, and he didn't know how he could possibly make the choice to take something like that away from her. And yet...

"Varian… if we don't start the ritual soon, it will be too late," Jaina said gently, following his gaze. "She's fading fast."

"Very well," Varian said, muttering a silent apology to Auriana as he did so. "Do what you must."


	27. Varian

Despite his insistence that both Anduin and High Priestess Laurena rest, Varian refused to leave Auriana's side while he waited for Jaina to return with the blue dragon Aspect, Kalecgos. Instead, he kept watch over his beloved, dying mage with a watchful eye. He refused almost all food, water, and sleep, and accepted only what he absolutely needed to maintain his strength. Anyone who had tried to dissuade him from his task had been met with a singularly withering glare, and after a while, even Anduin had stopped asking.

For the most part, Varian was left alone to his silent vigil, though occasionally he was visited by the tireless High Priestess and one of her apprentices, a shy, auburn-haired young woman named Calissa. True to Laurena's word, Calissa was exceptionally discreet, making no comment on Varian's unyielding presence by Auriana's side, nor the way he often stroked her hand or tenderly kissed her cheek. Even more fortunately, neither woman tried to engage him in conversation beyond an occasional question here or there, and Varian was left largely alone to brood on what seemed like Auriana's increasingly inevitable fate.

Both priestesses had worked harder to save Auriana than almost anyone Varian had ever seen, but he had been around death long enough to know that his little mage was not long for this world, unless something changed very soon. Her arms still glowed fiercely, and he knew that if she opened her eyes he would see white instead of blue, but her skin had otherwise taken on the unmistakable grey pallor of the dying. The sight of her so limp and lifeless cut Varian to the bone, but he refused to leave, treasuring every last moment he had to spend by her side. Even if she couldn't talk, Varian could remember, and he tried desperately to think of her as she really was - powerful, brave, and full of determined and unwavering passion – and not as the broken husk that now lay before him.

Varian knew that his time was rapidly running out, however, and he began to dread the moment that Jaina would knock on the door with Kalec in tow. During the ritual, it had been decided that both Laurena and Calissa would tend to Auriana while Khadgar, Jaina, and Kalec attempted to rid her of the poisonous excess of magic flowing through her veins. Anduin had offered his assistance, of course, but Varian had flat out forbidden the Prince's presence. Varian knew there was a very real chance that Auriana would die in the ritual process, or soon after if the spell were unsuccessful, and he had no desire for his son to witness her demise. Nor, he thought ruefully, did he want Anduin to witness what Varian himself would do in the event of Auriana's death. Varian had tried to hold himself together throughout the ordeal, and despite a few peevish snaps at poor, patient Jaina, he thought he'd borne up quite well. If Auriana died, however… if Varian lost one more precious thing in his long and bitter history of losing precious things… he had no idea what would happen. He only knew that it would likely be a terrible thing to behold, and he refused to let Anduin have any part of it.

It had been nearly two full days since Varian had rescued Auriana from the Foundry when Jaina and Kalec finally arrived in Stormwind, interrupting Varian from his ever darkening thoughts with a sudden loud knock at the door. Varian didn't need to open the door to know who and what awaited him on the other side, and his heart stilled as he realised Auriana's time had come. With one final glance at her sleeping form, he rose and reluctantly made his way to the door. Khadgar, Jaina, Laurena, Calissa, and Kalec were all waiting for him in a huddled group, each wearing identical expressions of pity as Varian ushered them into the room.

"Kalec, you remember Varian Wrynn," Jaina said, waving a hand towards the handsome, blue-haired half-elven form that Kalecgos preferred as an alternative to his true identity as one of the largest dragons alive.

"Of course," Kalec said smoothly. "One does not easily forget the King of Stormwind."

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Varian said stiffly. "I apologise, I'm not sure what the correct term of address is for an Aspect."

"Kalec will do just fine, Your Majesty," the blue dragon said kindly, smiling slightly. "Though I believe we have bigger concerns today. Jaina has explained to me her theory of your young mage's affliction, and I am inclined to agree. We must act swiftly. Where is she?"

Varian gestured silently, inviting Kalec further into the room, and the dragon spellweaver made his way to Auriana's side. He frowned deeply as he ran one hand down Auriana's glowing arms, a very faint blue glimmer dancing across his fingertips.

"She's a little one, isn't she?" Kalec observed thoughtfully. "How long did you say she's been like this?"

"Nearly two days," Jaina replied crisply, with a sideways glance at Varian.

"Interesting," Kalec mused, "That she has managed to last as long as she has. I would not have thought it possible for one of your kind to have persisted in such circumstances.  _Most_ interesting."

"With respect, Kalec, I'd appreciate if you didn't treat her like some kind of magical curio," Varian growled softly. "Your  _interest_  can wait for another time."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," Kalec said sincerely. "I only meant to comment on her strength. Quite frankly, given the amount of magic she has taken into herself, she should be dead."

"Well, she isn't, and I'd rather like to keep her that way," Varian snarled, a sudden hot anger that had nothing to do with Kalec and  _everything_  to do with Auriana welling in chest. "So perhaps you could concentrate on fixing her, rather than making idle commentary of your impressions!"

"Varian!" Jaina snapped, clearly appalled by his behaviour.

"It's quite fine, Jaina," Kalec said calmly, apparently unconcerned by Varian's outburst. "The King is correct… there is much to do, and not much time."

He nodded to the two priestesses.

"We will begin the ritual as soon as we are able," he said. "If there is anything you can do to strengthen her body or spirit before we start, I suggest you do it now."

"Of course," High Priestess Laurena said. "Come, Calissa."

As Kalec, Jaina, and the two priestesses began their preparations, Khadgar pulled Varian aside. He looked old and worn, and Varian noted faint creases between the Archmage's eyebrows that he'd never seen before.

"Varian…" he said quietly. "You do understand that she might not make it out of this alive. What we intend to do… the magic is untested. Kalecgos is very skilled, but Auriana may simply not have the strength to survive. And even if she does…"

"There's a very good chance that she'll lose her magic," Varian finished heavily. "I know. Jaina explained all this to me earlier, Khadgar."

"I just wanted to make sure that you understood the risks," Khadgar said seriously. "Auriana can't speak for herself right now, though I think if anyone has a right to make such a decision on her behalf, it's you."

"If we do nothing, she dies anyway, correct?" Varian said bluntly.

"Such an outcome is an unavoidable consequence of her condition, should we fail to act," Khadgar confirmed.

"Then it's not really much of a choice, is it?" Varian growled. "Do your magic."

Khadgar nodded, and made his way over to join his fellow spellcasters as they began the lengthy process of setting up the ritual. Varian fidgeted in apprehension Khadgar, Jaina and Kalec positioned themselves at three equidistant points around the bed, forming a triangle with Auriana at the centre. Each mage then drew a complex runic symbol on the ground beneath their feet, infusing the sigil with powerful magic. The drawing took some time, and to Varian's surprise, all three mages were sweating heavily by the time they had finished. Finally, to complete the spell, Kalec then transformed his hand into a dragon's claw to slit the thin silk of Auriana's nightgown above her stomach, and drew the same symbol directly onto her pale skin. For their part, Laurena and Calissa settled themselves on either side of Auriana's head, each priestess gently clasping one of the young mage's hands.

Varian didn't know much of magic, save for a smattering of theory he'd picked up from Auriana, but even he could tell that Khadgar, Jaina, and Kalec were tapping into some very serious power. By the time their preparations were complete, the entire room fairly hummed with a primal, eager energy that set Varian's teeth on edge.

"Your Majesty," Kalec said, as he finished the final strokes on Auriana's stomach and returned to his position in the triangle. "Might I suggest that you step outside?"

"Not on your life," Varian said firmly. "I'm not not leaving her."

"Then make yourself useful and hold her legs. She is likely to move about a bit during the process, and we can't take the chance of her interrupting the spell," Kalec ordered.

His voice was quiet and musical, but he had the tone of a man used to being obeyed. Varian's natural ego rankled slightly at being addressed so abruptly, but he knew it would be hypocritical to argue semantics when he had just chided Kalec for wasting time. He instead compiled in silence, seating himself at the base of the bed and reaching out to close his hands around Auriana's slender ankles.

Kalec nodded approvingly, before turning his attention back to Khadgar and Jaina. He reached out his hands, the other two mages mimicking his movements, and took a final deep breath.

"Ready?" he asked, his half-elven features set. "Begin!"

For a second, Varian wasn't sure if anything was happening, when the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood up straight and a shiver rolled down his spine as the runes beneath each of the three mages suddenly flared to life. Jaina's was the colour of bright, blue-white frost, while Khadgar's rune shimmered with red-gold flames. Kalec's rune shone with the distinctive purple brilliance of arcane magic, though the mark on Auriana's stomach glowed pure white. Varian watched in amazement as the spell began to take hold, drawing power directly from the rune on Auriana's skin and dispersing it between the three marks on the floor. The light of each magic shone brightly off the white walls of the keep, and Varian supposed it might have almost been pretty, had the situation not been so dire.

Barely a handful of minutes had passed after the three mages had begun to channel, however, when Auriana suddenly seized dramatically, her back arching like a taut bow string. Blood exploded from her nose and ears as she began to shake and convulse violently, and Varian suddenly had a hell of a time trying to keep her motionless. In the end, Varian found that he practically had to lie on her to keep her down, wincing with agonised every twist and buck of her hips.

"Kalec?" Khadgar asked worriedly.

"To be expected! It means the spell is working," the blue dragon said. "Varian, keep her steady."

"I'm trying," Varian muttered through gritted teeth, as he threw more of his weight behind the hold.

He had no desire to hurt Auriana or crush her beneath his bulk, but she was thrashing about so wildly that he had little choice. Somehow, the three mages managed to ignore her frantic writhing, maintaining their focus on the spell as more and more of the white light flowed from the centre of Auriana's core. At one point, Varian lost track of how long they worked, so focused was he on keeping Auriana still so that the spell might have the greatest chance of taking effect. It was difficult work, given how she moved so violently, but it was certainly nowhere near as difficult as the spell being wrought about his head. Varian could see that all three mages were tiring, even Kalec, and he wondered how much longer this could possibly go on.

"Kalec," Laurena said suddenly. "Her pulse is slowing."

Kalec shot a concerned look at the High Priestess, but he showed no outward sign of lessening the intensity of his work.

"Just a bit longer..." Kalec insisted, his blue eyes wide. "We've nearly got her."

"You need to stop. She's fading fast," Laurena said warningly. "She can't take much more of this."

"We have to be sure we've got the last of it…" Kalec argued, brow furrowing in a burst of concentration. "Just... a little longer..."

Auriana suddenly twisted spectacularly once more in Varian's grip, but barely a second later she went alarmingly still. The glow along her arms abruptly disappeared, like a candle that had been snuffed out, and her head lolled limply to the side.

"Kalec!  _Stop_!" Laurena yelled. "She is going to  _die_! Your spell seems to have worked, but it will all be for nothing if you don't  _let me save her_!"

Kalec looked somewhat startled by the otherwise serene High Priestess' outburst, but after taken one look at Auriana's ashen face and faded arms, he desisted immediately.

"Very well," he panted. "We're done. Bring her back."

The dragon Aspect stepped back with a sigh, the aura of power fading from about his person. Khadgar and Jaina did the same, each looking completely and utterly exhausted by the demands of the spell. The two priestesses went to work a moment later, soon replacing the glow of arcane magic about the room with the white-gold touch of the Light.

"She's not breathing," Laurena said urgently, leaning in close to Auriana's face. "Calissa!"

"I'm giving her everything I've got, High Priestess!" the apprentice priestess said, her face flushed brilliant red with the effort of keeping Auriana alive. "But we're losing her!"

Varian released Auriana and scrambled to his feet, feeling like he'd been punched in the gut. There was a dull roaring in his ears, and his chest felt so tight that he could barely breathe. Auriana lay deathly still, and while the glow of her arms had faded, so too had any colour from her skin. The two priestesses were working as hard as they were able, but it appeared that Khadgar had been right, and that the rigour of the ritual would prove too much for Auriana to bear.

"Come on Commander," Laurena muttered, her hands shining so brightly that they were all but blinding. "Fight for it."

Varian felt something movement at his side, and he looked down to see that Jaina moved over and grabbed him by the wrist. She wasn't looking at him, her gazed fixed on Auriana, but she squeezed his hand tightly as they watched the two priestesses work. Silent tears tracked slowly down her face as she watched, and Varian could feel her small hand trembling against his own. To Varian's right, Khadgar stood stock still, one hand half-covering his eyes as if he couldn't stand to watch. Even Kalec looked affected, his elven features grave as he shook his head and closed his eyes.

As for Varian, he felt as if he watching everything in slow motion. Time had slowed to an agonising crawl, and each second felt like another nail in his heart as he watched Auriana slowly fade away. Laurena and Calissa were both making frantic attempts to get her breathing once more, only to have each and every effort fail.

 _Please, Auri,_  Varian thought, praying desperately to the Light, or whatever else there was out there.  _Don't leave me now, you beautiful, impossible woman. I love you. I_ need _you._

_Please._


	28. Varian

The entire world seemed to have stopped turning as Varian carefully watched Auriana for the slightest sign of life, silently pleading with the Light to keep her safe. Varian was not a man accustomed to being afraid, though he had scarcely known such terror as he did in that moment when Auriana had stopped breathing. He felt as if his heart was being held in a painful vice, and his throat went dry as he contemplated losing Auriana so soon after he had won her.

Both Laurena and Calissa worked tirelessly, however, and suddenly, miraculously, their work started to take effect. Ever so slowly, Auriana's chest began to rise and fall and she twitched slightly under Laurena's careful hands. Her respiration was strained and obviously difficult, but at least she was now  _breathing_ , and Varian felt the unrelenting sense of panic that had gripped his chest lessen ever so slightly.

"Good work, Commander," Laurena muttered, doubling down on her efforts to stabilise the grievously damaged mage. "Keep going, Calissa, I think we've got her."

The young apprentice priestess nodded and wiped a thick bead of sweat from her brow, her eyes never leaving her patient. Varian let out the breath he didn't realise he'd been holding, though he knew Auriana wasn't out of the woods yet. He had never in his life wished more that he had the ability to heal, wanting desperately to do something other than simply  _watch_ as the two priestesses worked themselves to the bone to save Auriana's life.

The High Priestess finally sat back after another half hour of relentless healing, the room dimming as the light from the healing magics faded away. Her exhausted apprentice Calissa didn't say a word as she too released her power, merely leaning back against the headboard and staring blankly up at the ceiling. Both priestesses had dark shadows under their eyes, but Laurena was smiling serenely despite her exhaustion.

"Well," Laurena said, "She's going to take some time to recover, but she'll live."

"She… she's going to be alright?" Varian asked disbelievingly.

"It's too early to tell if she'll suffer permanent consequences, but yes, she should be fine. Eventually," Laurena said. "She'll need to be watched carefully over the next few days, mind you."

Varian sighed with relief and ran a shaking hand through his hair, shuddering as his frantic heartbeat finally slowed. Khadgar clapped him on the back, and even Kalec smiled with satisfaction as he admired Laurena's handiwork.

"Varian…" Jaina said softly. "Er… could you stop, please?"

"Hmm?" Varian grunted, unable to take his eyes away from Auriana.

"You're crushing my hand," Jaina said, her voice kind but insistent.

Varian looked down, and realised that when Auriana's breathing had failed, he'd taken Jaina's offered hand and squeezed it quite tightly. He released it immediately, watching as Jaina opened and closed her fingers to regain their feeling.

"Sorry," Varian said gruffly.

"It's quite alright, Varian," Jaina said, smiling gently before turning her warm gaze on Kalec.

"Did the spell work, Kalec?" she asked.

"If it didn't, I'm not sure what we'll do," Laurena added. "I doubt I could bring her back twice."

Kalec walked forwards slowly and waved his hand over Auriana, frowning intently. His fingers glowed blue with power, which he directed to every corner of Auriana's body.

"She's free of the raw magic," Kalec said firmly, after several minutes of careful study. "There's not a trace of it left."

"Does she still have her own magic?" Khadgar asked urgently.

"It's impossible to tell until she's awake," Kalec said, "And even then, it could take a few days for her abilities to return. Magic is in large part a function of physical fitness and will, and at this point I doubt she could light a candle even if she  _did_  have her full range of abilities."

"I'd like to consult some of the texts in Dalaran," Khadgar said. "In case there is anything we might do to aid her recovery. She is a very powerful asset, and I need her for the Draenor campaign. Not to mention that I consider her a friend, and I'd hate for her to lose her magic."

"Kalec and I will return to assist you," Jaina agreed. "Though perhaps we should all get some rest first."

She looked pointedly at Varian as she spoke, and he nodded acknowledgement of the silent rebuke.

"An excellent idea, love," Kalec agreed, staring at Jaina with unabashed affection and respect. "With your permission, of course, Your Majesty."

"Go," Varian said quietly. "Auriana is stable for now, and I can always contact you if anything changes. You've all done more today than I have any right to ask for, and you have my sincerest thanks."

He smiled grimly at the three mages, who bowed to him as one before Jaina opened a portal to Dalaran with a wave of her hand, and they all disappeared. Varian then turned his attention back to Laurena and Calissa, who were carefully rearranging Auriana into a more comfortable position after all the thrashing around she had done during the course of the spell.

"My thanks to you as well," Varian said wholeheartedly. "I owe you for her life."

"Thank the Light," Laurena said gently. "We are merely conduits for its power."

"Nevertheless, I am grateful for your hard work," Varian asked. "What happens now?"

"We will keep her asleep until she's had some time to recover her strength," Laurena explained, "But I suspect she'll be ready to waken in a couple of days. She's a fighter, this one."

"Yes, she is," Varian agreed proudly, as he walked over to press a hand to Auriana's forehead.

Laurena watched him carefully, her gaze flicking from Auriana's face to his own, and she smiled softly.

"You should get some rest, Your Majesty," she chided gently.

"As should you," Varian countered.

"I'll allow Calissa to get some sleep first, and we will trade shifts in a few hours," Laurena said. "She'll need to be watched at all times until she's awake."

"I can watch her," Varian said fiercely.

"With respect, Your Majesty, you really should get some sleep," Laurena said firmly. "The young Commander here is not the only one who has suffered through this ordeal."

Varian thought about arguing further, but he knew he had no recourse. He  _was_  tired, exhausted in fact, and he realised that he would rather sleep now than risk missing being by Auriana's side as she awoke. Taking the High Priestess' advice, he nodded stiffly and turned to leave, offering Laurena a last, grateful thanks.

"You are most welcome, Your Majesty," she said graciously, bowing before him, "And may the Light continue to watch over you."

* * *

For days after the ritual, Laurena had kept Auriana in an enchanted sleep, sustaining her with the Light until they could be certain that she was at no further risk of sudden death. Varian had reluctantly returned to his kingly duties, though he visited Auriana's private quarters as often as he was able. Every time he entered her room, he hoped against hope to see her awake and looking back at him, but each time he was bitterly disappointed. Even after Laurena had finally decided to release the sleep spell, Auriana remained stubbornly unconscious, despite long healing sessions with either the two priestesses or Anduin. Despite their repeated assurances that Auriana was improving, however, Varian found it harder and harder to remain optimistic, and at night he had taken to brooding alone in his study with nothing more than a glass of whiskey for company.

It wasn't until several days later that Varian heard a knock on his door, and his heart leapt into his throat as the guard announced the High Priestess Laurena.

"Your Majesty?" she said, peering around the heavy oak door.

Laurena still looked very tired, but she smiled softly, and Varian felt a surge of hope that he hadn't realised he still possessed.

"She's awake," the High Priestess said simply.

Laurena added something else, but Varian didn't hear a word. He was already out the door, having pushed past the High Priestess rather rudely as he dashed out into the corridor. He raced towards Auriana's chambers without any care for propriety or decorum, forcing several startled guards out of his way as he ran.

In his frantic eagerness, it didn't even occur to Varian until he reached the door that while Auriana may be alive, she might not be restored to her whole self. The thought stilled his untempered enthusiasm somewhat, and for a second he hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. He had no idea what he would find on the other side, and whether Auriana would still be the woman he loved. There was only one way to find out, however, and Varian's heart thundered wildly as he quietly opened the door and stepped into the room.

Varian coughed loudly to announce his presence, unsure of what to say. Auriana's head snapped towards him, her mouth falling open slightly in surprise. She had been lying on her back, her hands folded neatly across her stomach. Her face was still badly bruised and somewhat gaunt, and she was fairly covered in still-healing wounds, but her skin had regained its normal silver hue. She was no longer shrouded in the sickeningly sweet smell of the dying, and even her dark hair had regained some of its lustre. Best of all, her eyes were their normal, brilliant blue, and Varian's heart swelled with hope as they fixed on his face with a familiar keen intensity. She scrambled to prop herself up on her elbows as he cautiously approached, wincing slightly as she changed position.

"Varian," she breathed.

Her voice was too quiet and slightly hoarse, but she otherwise sounded clear and lucid.

"Auri?" Varian murmured, his voice barely a whisper. "Are you… are you... yourself?"

"Of course," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Who else would I be?"

She cocked her head to the side and regarded Varian with gentle confusion, her brow crinkling delicately as she frowned. The expression struck Varian as both undeniably alive and distinctly  _human,_  and his heart surged as he knew then that she was still  _his_. The realisation struck Varian like a powerful blow, and he practically lunged across the room to her side. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her lips and feel the warmth of her skin beneath his hands, but he pulled up abruptly as he realised that she was still very delicate. Varian hovered above her uncertainly, not wanting to harm her, when Auriana unexpectedly solved the problem for him as she reached up to pull his mouth down to hers.

She kissed him deeply, and it was all Varian could do to remember that she had just recovered from a great ordeal. Despite everything, he wanted nothing more than to push her gently down into the soft pillows and show her how much he exactly how much he loved her, over and over again until there was absolutely no doubt in her mind. Varian was a very physical person by nature, and he felt there was so much more he could express through his actions than through his words. He was very conscious of her fragility, however, and instead settled for cradling her face gently in his large hands as he kissed her desperately.

Auriana touched a hand to her damaged cheek as Varian finally pulled away and buried his face in her dark hair, breathing heavily. His hand lingered on her neck as he drank in her intoxicating, familiar scent, comforted by the feel of her steady pulse beneath his fingertips.

"Ow," she said softly.

"I'm sorry…" he murmured. "I should have been more careful… I got carried away..."

"It was my fault," she said, offering him a slightly pained smile. "After all, I kissed you… and I'm glad I did. I… I never thought I'd see you again, Varian. I'm still not sure that this isn't all some dream."

Her luminous eyes suddenly swam with tears, and her lower lip trembled slightly as she fought them back. Varian leant forwards and pressed his forehead ever so gently against her own and tenderly stroked her back.

"Please… please don't cry," he murmured. "It breaks my heart to see you cry. This isn't a dream… you're safe, and you're mine, and I swear to you that I will never let someone hurt you so badly ever again."

Auriana reached out and placed a trembling hand against his chest, allowing Varian to hold her close. Neither Varian nor Auriana moved for a very long time, each seemingly unwilling to move apart. It was Auriana who first pulled back, however, groaning slightly and closing her eyes as she relaxed back into the bed.

"I do agree that we should be more careful, however," she said. "I feel  _awful_."

"That's something of an understatement. You nearly died," Varian said seriously.

He reached down to grasp her hand and gently kiss her swollen knuckles.

"I nearly  _died_?" she repeated, evidently surprised. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Varian asked worriedly.

Auriana blinked several times, and it was clear that despite the overall improvement in her appearance, she was still struggling to regain full possession of her mental faculties. Varian frowned, not sure if her memory loss was a blessing or a curse. On one hand, he was fervently praying that she would make a full recovery, but on the other he wondered if it wasn't best that she could simply forget the whole ordeal all together.

"No. I remember being taken to the Foundry, and… I… I remember being tortured," Auriana said slowly, her voice catching slightly

She touched a hand to her chest, as if finding it suddenly hard to breathe. Her eyes darkened, and for the barest second she looked very young and very afraid, before her well-practiced mask of control snapped back into place.

"The last thing I remember was Blackhand's torturer… he tried… well… never mind what he tried…" she said darkly. "I… I remember him breaking my cheekbone, and then there was a lot of white light... and then I woke up here. Why? What happened?"

Varian frowned, wondering what she was keeping from him, but he recalled Anduin's earlier warning, and declined to ask for details. He also wasn't sure if he should actually  _tell_  her the whole sordid story, but he knew that she had a right to know.

"Varian?" she pressed, touching his shoulder. "Tell me..."

"Very well," he sighed. "We received a ransom from Blackhand. He wanted to trade my life for yours."

"I know what he wanted," Auriana said hotly. "I didn't tell him anything, Varian, I promise. We were betrayed from within Lunarfall. I didn't talk."

Her eyes flashed fiercely, and Varian realised it was very important to her that she was believed.

"I didn't think you would," he said sincerely, gently squeezing her hand. "In any case, we received Blackhand's ransom, and I was quite prepared to agree to his demands if it meant saving your life. Khadgar, of course, persuaded me that such an idea would be somewhat foolhardy, though I convinced  _him_  to take me to the Foundry with an elite team from SI:7."

"Wait… you… you came for me? Personally?" she said, her blue eyes huge. "You came to Draenor?"

"Yes," Varian confirmed, unsure of what to make of the look on her face.

"Varian… you… you shouldn't have done that," she said seriously.

"Excuse me?" he said, surprised. "Did you really expect that I would leave you there? I would have thought you would be grateful."

"Of course I'm grateful," she said earnestly, cupping his cheek in her small palm. "Of course I am. Varian, you quite literally travelled across the universe to find me. I will never forget that as long as I live. But… I have to put the Alliance first. You could have died out there. I'm not worth that."

"You are to me," Varian said heatedly. "I love you."

Auriana fell silent, her eyes downcast, and Varian could tell that once again she was trying not to cry. He stroked her hair soothingly, allowing her time to gather her thoughts.

"What happened then?" she asked finally, sniffling slightly.

"We infiltrated Blackrock Foundry. Of course, we didn't know where you were, but we were closing in on your position when half the Foundry exploded," Varian continued. "We found out later that it was you breaking your arcane shackles. You did a lot of damage."

"So that's what happened," Auriana said softly. "No wonder I nearly died. I  _should_ be dead, pulling a stunt like that."

"You said as much, after," Varian agreed. "You said that you would have rather killed yourself trying to escape, rather than giving Blackhand the means by which to lure me."

Varian spoke slowly, wondering if she would remember what  _else_  she had said during her conscious moments. He could still hear her confession of love as if she had only spoken it moments ago, but it appeared that she had no memory of what she had said. Varian found himself powerfully disappointed by the thought, wondering if that would be the only time Auriana would ever again tell him how she felt.

"I was awake before?" she asked, seeming genuinely bewildered. "Before this, I mean?"

"You were awake several times," Varian confirmed. "Though you weren't exactly… lucid."

"What do you mean?"

"Breaking the shackles was a very dangerous thing to do," Varian said, trying not to sound too reproachful of the risk she had taken to escape the Foundry. "Khadgar or Jaina could probably explain it better than I, but the gist of it was that you essentially poisoned yourself with raw magic."

Varian shifted uncomfortably, knowing that the next part of the story would likely cause her distress.

"You were confused. You thought you were still in the Foundry," he continued quietly. "At one point, you tried to escape. You attacked Jaina and Khadgar, and injured them both, as well as couple of guards. Rather unluckily, Anduin was drawn to the commotion and confronted you. You… you turned on him. I was able to use your distraction to take you down, however, before he was hurt."

Varian grit his teeth, hating to have to remember hitting her, even if it had been to save Anduin's life.

"You know I never would have done so if I had another choice," he added quickly. "I… I may be many things, but I'm not the type of man who would beat a woman."

Auriana's face went white, and she looked absolutely horrified. For a second, Varian wondered if her reaction was to his confession of violence against her, when he realised she was devastated at the thought of having risked the lives of her friends.

"I… I hurt Jaina and Khadgar? I went after  _Anduin_?" she whispered. "Oh, Light, Varian… how could you possibly forgive me?"

"You weren't in your right mind," Varian said gently. "I don't blame you, and nor do they."

Auriana buried her face in her hands.

"I don't think I can ever look any of them in the eye ever again," she said wretchedly. "How… how did you ever bring me back?"

"Jaina went to Kalecgos for help," Varian explained. "Together, she, Kalec, and Khadgar cast a spell to burn the excess magic from your system. The ritual was successful, but we… we nearly lost you. You actually stopped breathing for a while. Thankfully, Laurena was able to stabilise you, and… well, now we're here."

"I see…" Auriana said slowly. "I'm so sorry, Varian. I can't imagine how you must have felt seeing me threaten your son."

"I'll admit, it wasn't the greatest moment of my life, but he's fine, Auriana," Varian said firmly. "I promise… and you know if  _I'm_ saying that, it must be true. You know firsthand how protective I can be."

Auriana nodded, but Varian could see that she was still horrified by her actions, unwitting as they may have been.

"You need to worry about your own recovery," he told her gently, "Rather than torment yourself with guilt."

"Is there anything else I should know about?" she said bitterly. "Anything else terrible that I did?"

Varian wondered again if he should mention that she had professed her love for him, but he felt that she should be allowed to broach the topic when she was ready to do so, and not because she felt like she had been backed into a corner.

"No," he said finally. "Though… I have something to confess to you. I was the one who permitted Khadgar, Jaina and Kalec to perform the ritual."

"Why would that matter? It saved my life," Auriana said slowly. "Unless there's something you aren't telling me…"

Her eyes widened and the blood drained from her face, and Varian winced as he saw her figure out the terrible truth.

"Wait…" she said urgently. "You said that Jaina and Khadgar conducted a ritual to burn out the excess magic... did… did they take it all? Did they take all my magic? Varian?"

Auriana sat bolt upright and extended her hand in a familiar casting gesture. Varian prayed for her sake that something would happen, only to watch in dismay as she waved her hand over and over again without result.

"My magic… it isn't there,' she said, her voice rising in panic. "I… no… it's there, but I can't reach it… Varian... it's like being in shackles again…oh, Light… Light… my  _magic_..."

Auriana's hands shook violently as she began to hyperventilate, her eyes darting desperately around the room. Her entire body was practically vibrating with nervous energy, and Varian suddenly realised she was having some kind of panic attack. He reached out to comfort and still her, but she twisted out of his reach as if repulsed by his touch.

"How could you?" she whispered, her eyes once again welling with tears.

"I couldn't let you die, Auriana!" Varian snapped. "I… I know I told you I loved you, but I didn't even understand myself how much I cared until I saw you lying there… until I nearly lost you. You have no idea what it was like."

"You don't understand," she choked, tears streaming down her face. "Without my magic, I have  _nothing_."

"You have your life," Varian said lowly. "You have me."

He reached out to gather her in his arms, and this time she was unresisting, struck numb by loss.

"Kalec said it could take some time for your abilities to return," Varian told her, though he knew it would be of little consolation. "Don't give up hope just yet."

It appeared, however, that Auriana was beyond listening to reason at that particular point in time. She looked as if her heart had been torn out of her chest, which Varian supposed in a way it had been. He stared down at her hopelessly, hating to have caused her so much pain, and there was nothing he could do except for to hold her tightly as she wept.


	29. Varian

In the week following Auriana's rescue and return to Stormwind, she had fallen into a deep depression. She had been utterly devastated by the apparent loss of her magical powers, and Varian was unable to do much of anything except watch as she wallowed in her despair. She had taken to refusing food and drink, and it was all that High Priestess Laurena could do to keep her functioning. Auriana's listlessness had set back her physical recovery considerably, and she seemed to fade slightly more with each passing day.

Worst of all, she had all but ceased speaking to Varian. He had tried, many times, to talk her around, but more often than not she endured his increasingly desperate entreaties in miserable silence. She had ostensibly forgiven Varian for making the choice that had led to her current predicament, but her hollow eyes burned with heartbreaking regret every time she looked upon his face. While Varian did not - and  _would_  not - regret his decision to save her life, it pained him to see her hurting so badly when he himself was in any way responsible.

Varian had refused to give up on her, however, and had wondered if someone else might have more luck. Unfortunately, she had outright refused to admit Anduin into her room, and had spoken to Jaina and Khadgar only perfunctorily. Her conversations with Laurena barely extended beyond that dictated by medical necessity, and Varian began to question whether she'd ever be able to move on from her profound loss.

Each night, Varian found himself alone in his room, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to think of some way to help Auriana. Varian was a man of action, and he hated to have to sit helplessly by while she suffered. It wounded him to know that she was just down the hall and yet so far out of reach at the same time. He itched to make his way to her room and pull her into his embrace, but he suspected such overtures would be ill received. Instead, he found himself brooding alone in his room, more often than not with a drink in his hand.

Late one night, around midnight, Varian was lying deep in thought, when his attention was suddenly grabbed by a small, glowing item on his dresser. It was Anduin's snowflake pendant, taken by Varian after Auriana's earlier outburst. He had meant to return it to Anduin sooner, but in the chaos of the last few days, it had been left forgotten on his dresser. The sight of the small trinket stirred Varian's memory, and he recalled the far happier time when it had been made. He remembered the kindness in Auriana's voice as she had reassured Anduin of the value of his abilities, and the careful way in which she had directed his power and her own.

Varian frowned as another thought occurred to him, flipping his long legs off the side of the bed and walking over to the dresser. In thinking of the pendant's creation, he had also recalled a conversation he'd had with his son after the fact, during which time Anduin had explained how the everlasting snowflake worked. Varian was certainly no expert in magical matters, but as he stared down at the glowing trinket, he had a sudden idea that he very badly wanted to run by Auriana.

Heart pounding with sudden hope, Varian raced out of his room and past his startled guards, waving them off as he sought his young Commander. Varian didn't want to wake her when she so clearly needed sleep, but if his hunch was correct, he strongly suspected that she wouldn't mind. He pushed past the guards assigned to her protection, moving eagerly into Auriana's dimly lit room. As Varian had expected, she was sleeping deeply, sprawled facedown across most of the bed with her hair spread out across her back like a dark cowl. Varian paused before touching her, taking the opportunity to simply admire her uncomplicated beauty and the rare trace of serenity about her features. His task was important, however, and he hesitated for only a moment before reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Auriana," he said, shaking her gently. "Wake up."

Auriana grunted rather inelegantly and rolled over, but remained unquestioningly asleep. Varian sighed and shook her with greater urgency, until her blue eyes finally flew open in surprise. She started violently at Varian's presence and actually took a swing at him, only narrowly missing dealing him a thumping blow upside the head.

"It's me," he assured her, catching her by the wrists and holding her still. "It's me."

"Light, Varian, are you trying to scare me half to death?" she said furiously, placing a hand on her chest. "Did it occur to you, after everything I've been through, that it might be the  _slightest_ bit frightening to wake up in the middle of the night with someone standing over me?"

"Oh, Auri... I'm so sorry," he said sincerely, cursing himself silently for the oversight. "I needed to speak to you so urgently... I… I didn't think..."

"Nice that you can forget," she said bitterly, covering her face with her hands.

Varian frowned down at her apologetically, and gently released her wrists. She sighed and pulled herself upright into a sitting position, blinking sleep out of her eyes.

"Tell me, what's so urgent that you had to come running down here at Light knows what hour?" she asked.

"This," said Varian, reaching into his pocket to withdraw Anduin's pendant and place it gently in her hand.

Auriana rolled it between her fingers, looking thoroughly confused.

"That's the everlasting snowflake I made with Anduin," Auriana said slowly. "I didn't know he'd put it in a pendant."

"It still exists," Varian said eagerly, taking a seat beside her. "And it's still glowing."

"Yes… it's an  _everlasting_  snowflake," she said, completely nonplussed. "By definition, they... last forever. Did… did you hit your head?"

"No, Auri, you're not listening," Varian insisted. " _It's glowing_."

"Varian… I'm half asleep, I don't know what you want from me," Auriana said exasperatedly. "It's a very pretty pendant, but I don't understand…"

"Anduin explained it to me… he said that the snowflake was tied to your life. That it would glow as long you were alive," Varian said, cutting her off. "Does… does that mean it's tied to your magic, as well?"

"Varian, I don't…  _oh_..." she breathed, realisation crossing her face.

Varian broke into a tentative smile as she leant forwards with a new energy, lifting the pendant to eye level.

"It's got a part of my magic in it," she said, echoing Varian's thoughts. "It wouldn't exist if I didn't… if I didn't still have my powers in some way. This means they're just… blocked… not  _gone_ …"

"That's what I'm trying to say," Varian confirmed.

"Varian, that's… that's… brilliant," she said, the faintest glimmer of hope kindling in her eyes.

"Don't sound so surprised," Varian growled, though he was felt gratified that his hunch had proven to be correct.

Auriana was studying the snowflake carefully. She looked more alive than Varian had seen her in a week, and in an instant her features had regained the sharp, clever intensity that he loved so dearly.

"Can you use it?" he asked. "I won't even pretend to know how you might, but… I thought there was a chance."

"I think so," she said eagerly, speaking very fast now. "It's an echo of my own power, I should be able to use the pendant to get past the block that's been keeping me from my abilities. This isn't my specialty, but... I can try… I have to try..."

Varian nodded reassuringly, touching her back in support. For the first time since she'd lost her powers, Auriana didn't shy away from his hand, nodding grimly as she closed her eyes and grit her teeth. Varian couldn't actually see anything happening, but it was very clear that Auriana was straining hard to find her magic. Her nose began to leak blood almost instantly, as it often did when she overexerted herself, and Varian leant forward in alarm.

"Auri…?" he prompted.

"I've got it," Auriana growled firmly, her face distorting in a painful rictus. "I can do this."

Sweat beaded on her brow as she pushed herself harder, clutching the small pendant with such intensity that Varian was afraid it would break. She was breathing hard, and Varian wondered whether she had the physical stamina to endure whatever it was that she was doing. Her face was set and determined, however, and he realised that if there was anyone in the world stubborn enough to break through her block, it would be Auriana.

After a long stretch of clearly intense labour, Auriana's eyes suddenly flew open. Varian didn't need to actually ask if she'd been successful in reaching her powers, however, for a moment later the faint burn scars on her arms blossomed with light and her eyes glowed pure white. His muscles tensed, remembering all too well the last time she had appeared as such, but it seemed that this time Auriana was in full control. She flicked her wrist, and her in an instant a powerful ball of frost appeared in her hands. She studied the spell closely, her eyes wide, before sending the frostbolt across the room where it impacted the wall with a resounding smack.

"My magic… it's there, I found it..." she said disbelievingly, life flooding her voice as she wiped the blood away from her nose. "I can touch it… and it's  _strong_."

Her eyes shining with sudden pleasure, Auriana summoned a storm of snow above her head, laughing in delight as the soft snowflakes rained down on her dark hair. Varian was struck by her beauty, wondering how the powerful, otherworldly creature who now sat before him could have ever been the pale, brooding ghost of a woman he'd seen only minutes ago. He supposed that he had never really appreciated how much Auriana's magic was a part of who she was, and it was only in that moment that he really understood how much she had nearly lost.

"Do you think that's going to happen every time you cast?" Varian asked, pointing to the white glow of her skin.

"Most likely," Auriana said, frowning as she examined her arms. "I mean… it's been some time since Theramore and Jaina is still obviously affected, I'd imagine this is somewhat similar. I'm not going to be a  _subtle_  mage from now on, apparently."

"In fairness, you weren't particularly subtle to begin with," Varian said slyly, encouraged by her rediscovered energy.

Auriana looked up at him then, and for the first time in far too long, she gave him a dazzling, genuine smile. Tears were rolling slowly down her cheeks, but Varian knew that they were tears of intense joy.

She fell back against her pillows, and her face fairly shone with wonder as she sent bright lights dancing in lazy loops about her fingertips. Varian let her play in silence for as long as she wanted, not wanting to interfere with her complete and utter joy, and taking great pleasure in watching her work. Auriana didn't cast any particular spell, instead just conjuring hundreds and hundreds of tiny lights that lit up the room like fireflies, and Varian realised that he'd never seen something so simple bring someone so much happiness. He lay contentedly next to her in the dark, watching her witch lights like little stars.

When she finally released her power over an hour later, she sighed slightly with regret, and Varian could see that it had taken a great effort to stop. As the glow faded from about her eyes and arms, she turned her face up towards him with a slightly inquisitive frown, her once again blue eyes practically luminous in the near darkness.

"How did you remember?" she asked him softly.

"Remember what?"

"You remembered what I said to Anduin about the snowflake," she explained.

"I remember everything you say," Varian said sincerely. "I love you, Auriana."

She breathed in sharply and smiled ever so slightly at his words, only for her face to fall a second later as she looked down at her hands.

"Varian… I'm so sorry," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "I've been a wreck these last few days, and I know I've hurt you. Even if… even if I had lost my powers, it wasn't your fault. You were in an impossible position, having to choose between my life and my magic, and I shouldn't have punished you for your decision the way I did."

"I've seen how you are with your magic," Varian said seriously. "I can see it in your eyes… it's the same way I feel when I fight. I can't imagine what I would do if I thought I'd lost such a large part of myself. You owe me no apology."

"No… I really do. I have been sullen, and moody, and less than you deserve," she said, her quiet voice nonetheless firm. "I  _am_  sorry, even if I have no right to your forgiveness."

"Auriana… really, there's nothing to forgive," Varian insisted. "What you've been through in the last week… most people couldn't even imagine, let alone… survive. Quite frankly, I'm surprised you weren't worse than you've been."

She chuckled slightly at that, shaking her head.

"Most people don't have you," she said softly. "I wouldn't be here if you weren't so amazingly… stubborn. You saved my life, and now you've saved my magic. I can't thank you enough."

Sensing that some of what had been broken between them was repaired, Varian reached out and gently pushed a loose strand of hair back from Auriana's face. He traced his fingers along the line of her jaw, savouring the way she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. He lifted her slightly and pulled her forwards into his lap, where she rested her head against his chest without resistance. For the first time since Auriana had been rescued, Varian felt like he had her back, really all of her, and he let out a long, slow sigh of relief.

"The fact that you are alive and here with me is all the thanks I could ever need," he murmured, reaching down to capture her lips in a breathless, aching kiss, and drawing her close as if he would never let her go.


	30. Varian

For the next two weeks, Varian had the rare privilege of seeing Auriana every day, confined to her bed as she was by High Priestess Laurena's strict orders. After the return of her magic, Auriana began to improve rapidly, though it would still be some time before she was fighting fit. Varian had taken full advantage of Auriana's convalescence, spending every spare moment of his time in her presence. While he was unable to visit her during the day, restricted as he was by his duties as King, Varian had taken dinner with Auriana every evening, and they often stayed up late into the night conversing.

During the day, Varian had seen to it that Auriana was not bored, sending Anduin to keep her company. Although Auriana had been initially reluctant to see the Prince after she had threatened his life, she had been eventually won over by Anduin's ceaseless enthusiasm and persistence. Anduin had accepted Auriana's repeated apologies with warmth and dignity, and soon could often be found in her rooms, either discussing magical theory or teaching her his favourite pandaren boardgame of  _jihui._

Of course, despite her recently improved rate of recovery, Auriana's time in the Foundry had not been without consequence. Her hearing in her left ear had been quite badly damaged, and she now often missed soft noises, particularly when they came from behind. High Priestess Laurena had suggested that the damage was most likely permanent, and that Auriana would have to learn to rely more so on her other senses. Auriana's escape had also resulted in repercussions of a magical nature. The faint rune scars on her arms flared bright white each and every time she cast a spell, as did her eyes, and she had reported that her magic was occasionally unpredictable. She also walked with a small limp now, though Laurena had seemed confident that her gait would return to normal with time and patient exercise.

It appeared to Varian, however, that the psychological damage done to Auriana far outstripped whatever she had suffered physically. Although she appeared to have regained most of her normal energy and dark wit, Varian knew her far too well not to miss the way her eyes flicked urgently towards doors and windows more often than usual. She tended to shy away anytime anyone touched her, save for Varian, and her guards had reported that she frequently suffered from terrible nightmares. Of course, Auriana never told Varian about the dreams herself, stubbornly insisting that she was perfectly fine, and Varian had thus far abstained from pushing her for an explanation on any of his visits. Instead, they discussed just about every other topic imaginable, and despite Varian's lingering concerns over Auriana's mental well being, he could scarcely remember a time when he had been more content.

On one particularly fine day in Stormwind, Varian arrived at Auriana's chambers after lunch, having cleared his schedule for the afternoon. After quickly walking past her two guards, Varian was surprised to find that Auriana was out of bed, her back turned towards the door. It was the first time since her brief attempt to escape Stormwind that she had been out of bed, and Varian was greatly pleased to see her moving under her own power.

"Good afternoon," he greeted her warmly, making her jump slightly.

"You snuck up on me," Auriana accused him, though her tone was light.

"Did you not hear me knock?" Varian asked, slightly concerned.

"I was turned away," Auriana said. "You know I've been finding it hard to hear things from behind."

"I'm sorry," Varian said sincerely. "Though I will admit that it's good to see you moving around."

"It's a considerable improvement," Auriana agreed. "The High Priestess suggested that I go for a walk, actually, though I've nothing to wear but my nightgown, and I can't very well go strolling all over Stormwind dressed like this."

"Ah, well, I'm one step ahead of you there," Varian said, walking over to open the wooden closet in the corner of the room. "I had some dresses made up for you earlier, for when you were ready to be up and about once more."

Auriana moved slowly to stand behind him, sorting through each of the dresses in turn. She looked quite pleased by his gift, as he hoped she would be, though also somewhat confused.

"They're all blue," she observed, raising an eyebrow.

"I… I like you in blue," Varian confessed, his tone somewhat abashed. "I could have something else made, of course, if you'd prefer…"

"It's quite alright," Auriana said quickly, though Varian could tell she was somewhat amused.

After some deliberation, she finally selected a simple, sleeveless dress of cornflower blue and withdrew it from the dresser. She made to slip the sleeves of her nightgown and change, before she abruptly stopped and gave Varian a thoughtful look.

"Um… are you going to turn around?" she asked him.

"Turn around?" Varian repeated, nonplussed. "It's not as if I haven't seen you undressed before. I actually quite enjoy it, if I'm being perfectly honest."

He had spoken somewhat in jest, but it appeared that Auriana was very serious. She blushed slightly, but her expression remained fixed. She'd always been somewhat shy about her body, but her reticence to appear vulnerable even before Varian had increased significantly after her torture, and he instantly regretted his teasing.

"Varian… please…" she said quietly.

"Of course," he said quickly, turning his back. "I'm sorry."

He listened quietly as she changed, once again wondering what had happened in the Foundry. Thus far he had resisted questioning her, respecting both Anduin's request and Auriana's obvious reluctance, but he couldn't deny that he was curious. He also couldn't help feeling that he would be able to help Auriana recover if he knew precisely what had happened, but he had kept his silence nonetheless.

"Alright, you can turn around," Auriana said finally. "What do you think?"

Varian slowly turned back to face her as she smoothed down her skirts, her dark hair falling loosely across her shoulders. She still looked a bit too pale, but the blue dress brought out the colour of her eyes, and to Varian's gaze she looked quite beautiful.

"Lovely," he said truthfully.

Varian stretched out his arm towards her, hoping to ease her nervousness. It was a momentous occasion to have her out of bed after everything she had suffered, and he was determined to give her as pleasant an afternoon as possible.

"It would be my honour to escort you around the keep, my lady," he said, smiling encouragingly.

Auriana frowned slightly at his use of a title instead of her name, but she soon broke out in a genuine, if somewhat tired smile, and looped her arm through his with surprising grace and willingness.

"Lead on, Your Majesty," she said, and together they strode out the door and into the beautifully whitewashed stone of Stormwind Keep.

* * *

Auriana's guards attempted to follow the King and his Commander as they left, but Varian waved them off. He was perfectly safe within the walls of the Keep, and wanted to walk with Auriana as if he were simply a man, rather than the King of Stormwind. Nevertheless, he intentionally kept the conversation light as he led Auriana around his castle, walking very slowly so as not to tax her overmuch. Walking together, they attracted more than their fair share of curious glances from passersby, especially as Varian held Auriana's arm firmly around his own. It didn't help that she still looked somewhat battle-worn, despite her change of clothing, though Varian knew her appearance was not the only reason she was attracting attention. It had been a long time since Varian had been seen with a woman, and although he was ostensibly escorting an injured, high ranking Alliance military officer, people would talk. Whispers followed them as they strolled, though much to Varian's great surprise, Auriana seemed largely unconcerned. She walked with her head held high, and she gave not a single person a backwards glance as they slowly perambulated about the Keep.

At one point, Varian suggested that they go to the inner gardens of the Keep, so that Auriana might get some fresh air. She agreed readily, though she gripping his arm tightly for balance. Varian had noticed that she was somewhat unsteady on her feet, but she never once complained or asked for rest. As they entered the gardens, Varian suggested that Auriana take a seat on one of the many stone benches that lined the grass, but to his utter lack of surprise, she firmly refused. Instead, she turned her face upwards, sighing contentedly as she closed her eyes against the gentle afternoon sunshine. The golden light set her hair afire, and she looked more alive than she had in weeks.

"You know," Auriana said quietly, "There was a time in the Foundry when I wasn't sure if I'd ever see the sun again."

Varian stared down at her in surprise, but he remained silent. It was the first time that she had mentioned her feelings about her time in the Foundry unsolicited, and he didn't want to discourage her from talking.

"I really thought I was going to die there, Varian," she confessed, her gaze dropping ever so slightly.

"I thank the Light every day that you didn't," he replied softly, surreptitiously reaching across to pat her arm.

Auriana smiled faintly, and she opened her mouth to say something in reply when her head suddenly snapped to the left and she raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Oh, damn. How is he here?" she breathed.

Varian followed her line of sight, and cursed inwardly as he beheld none other than Lord Rohas Anguile, accompanied by his lanky daughter, who had both apparently decided on the worst possible moment to interrupt. The wily noble lifted his hand in apparently surprised greeting, though Varian suspected that his being in the gardens was anything but coincidental. If Anguile had heard that Varian and Auriana were taking a walk together, courtesy of the ever-efficient Stormwind rumour mill, he would have put himself on an intercept course as soon as possible.

"Your Majesty!" Anguile called warmly as he approached, though his eyes distinctly narrowed as he noted Auriana's arm looped through Varian's own.

Despite Anguile's obvious displeasure, Varian defiantly refused to release Auriana's arm, instead drawing himself up to his impressive full height.

"Lord Anguile," Varian said, by way of greeting, "And of course you remember Commander Fenwild."

"Of course," the noble echoed, though his voice held considerably less warmth. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Commander."

"My lord," Auriana said smoothly, her blue eyes cooling at Anguile's obvious lie.

"Might I ask what you are doing out and about in Stormwind this fine day, Commander? I had heard a rumour that you were badly injured," Anguile said, and to Varian it sounded as if he were faintly disappointed that Auriana was still alive.

"In this case, you heard correctly. I suffered a number of severe injuries in Blackrock Foundry, though as it turns out, I'm very difficult to get rid of," Auriana said, forcing Varian to smother a smile with his hand. "My physician suggested that I take a walk to encourage my recovery, and His Majesty here was kind enough to offer me his arm. For balance, you see, I'm still somewhat shaky on my feet."

"How very gallant of him," Anguile said, his voice clipped.

"Our King is nothing if not chivalrous," Auriana agreed, her face inscrutable.

At Auriana's words about his courtly manners, Varian then realised that Anguile's daughter was hovering awkwardly behind her father, her amber eyes darting curiously between Varian and Auriana.

"I apologise," Varian said quickly, playing the role of the dutiful King. "Commander, this is Lord Anguile's eldest daughter, Cathelora. My lady, this is Commander Auriana Fenwild. She leads the Alliance forces on Draenor."

"You fight for the Alliance? That must be terribly exciting," Cathelora said amicably.

"It has its moments," Auriana said stiffly, shifting her weight to her better leg.

"I haven't ever really seen a real battle, though I got to watch His Majesty spar the other day. It was quite thrilling," Anguile's daughter added, fluttering her eyelids at Varian in what she cleared believed was an appealing fashion.

"His Majesty is a fine warrior," Auriana said. "You are privileged to have watched him fight."

"Oh, yes," Cathelora said eagerly. "Are you a warrior too?"

Auriana shot Varian an amused sideways glance, clearly somewhat perplexed by Cathelora's apparently vapid enthusiasm. She also clearly felt that the situation was somewhat absurd, playing nice with Cathelora while Anguile watched them all hawkishly; a sentiment with which Varian decidedly agreed. He hated playing court politics, though if Anguile intended to bait Varian into some kind of game, he was more than willing to rise to the challenge.

"Ah, no," Auriana said slowly. "I'm a mage, actually."

"I had a friend who went to Dalaran to become a mage," Cathelora continued, apparently oblivious to the tension between Anguile, Varian, and Auriana. "She said it's very beautiful."

"Dalaran is one of the most beautiful places in the world," Auriana agreed, her voice kind. "If you should ever have the opportunity to visit your friend, I suggest you see it for yourself."

"The opportunity might come sooner than you think. Cathelora just turned eighteen, I believe," Varian added, determined to show Anguile that he could be as polite and charming as anyone. "How was your party?"

"It was simply magnificent, though I'm sorry you were unable to attend," Cathelora said, the slightest hint of reproach in her voice.

"I apologise, my lady, but there were other matters that required my attention," Varian said sternly, refusing to be taken to task by a disappointed young noblewoman.

He didn't mention that it had been  _Auriana's_  predicament that had taken him away from his social duties as King, though he suspected that Anguile was well aware of the true reason behind Varian's absence.

"It was quite the event. We danced all night, and Father spared no expense on my new dress," Cathelora continued. "Seventy yards of silk, if you can believe such a thing."

"She looked very beautiful," Anguile confirmed, looking down at Auriana with an air of smug superiority.

"Have you ever had such a party, Commander?" Cathelora asked innocently, though there was a subtle barb of competition in her voice, and Varian once again wondered if she was really as guileless as she appeared.

"Ah, no, actually," Auriana said slowly. "Nothing quite so spectacular. The last time I actually celebrated a birthday I was in Northrend, fighting for the Alliance against the Lich King. If I recall correctly, I was holed up inside a cave with my fellow soldiers as we were hunted by the Scourge."

From Auriana's blunt reply, it was evident that she too had heard the slight challenge in Cathelora's tone, and she had replied in kind. Her response had been a sly reminder that Auriana was far more worldly and accomplished than Cathelora, and could make the young noblewoman look decidedly frivolous by comparison. It was a surprisingly refined slight, and Varian wondered when Auriana had learned such social nuance.

"Oh… ah… how frightening," Cathelora managed, clearly throwing by Auriana's cutting remark.

She looked over at her father edgily, and Anguile evidently decided to step in, his intervention having not gone to plan.

"Well, we shan't keep you further," he said crisply. "Though I'm sure we'll see you again soon, Varian."

Anguile pointedly left off Auriana's name from his proposition, though Auriana herself did not appear to be perturbed. She stared back at Anguile with placid indifference, her blue eyes calm.

"Of course," Varian said smoothly. "Enjoy your afternoon."

Anguile smiled predaciously in farewell, and offered his daughter her arm. She curtseyed slightly in Varian's direction, though like her father she declined to acknowledge Auriana further. Varian dismissed them both with a nod, and waited until they had moved out of earshot before he addressed Auriana.

"That was well done," Varian praised her, as they once again resuming their promenade.

"I'm not easily intimidated, Varian," she reminded him, her mouth drawing into a thin line. "Though I can't stand that kind of veiled, biting repartee."

"Anguile really doesn't like you, does he?" Varian mused. "And nor, I suppose, does his daughter."

"Well, he thinks I've seduced you," Auriana pointed out, with a slight smile of grim satisfaction.

"In fairness, he isn't wrong," Varian said, looking down at her affectionately. "You've thoroughly captivated me, Auriana."

Auriana smiled slightly at the compliment, and to Varian's surprise she pressed ever so slightly into the side of his arm.

"It was interesting to meet my competition," Auriana said lightly.

"Competition?" Varian scoffed, rolling his eyes. "She could compete with you about as well as a candle could compete with a bonfire."

"She  _is_  tall," Auriana argued. "She wouldn't look quite so ridiculous standing next to you as I do."

"I like that you're little," Varian told her sincerely. "You fit perfectly in my arms."

"I also make an excellent armrest," Auriana said wryly, trying not to smile.

Her eyes suddenly sparkled with the life that she had been so sorely missing of late, and Varian was suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to kiss her. Throwing caution to the wind, he pulled her into a nearby alcove, pausing only to check that there was no-one nearby before he pressed her against the wall and embraced her fervidly. At first Auriana responded with equal ardour, only to pull away a moment later as she remembered where they were.

"Varian…" she protested weakly, though she didn't actually make any kind of move away from him. "We can't…"

Her hands pressed into his chest, though it was clear that she was torn between pushing him away and drawing him closer.

"I'm a king in my own castle, if I want to kiss the woman I love, I damn well will," Varian growled, thoroughly discontented with the ongoing secrecy of their relationship.

Auriana's near death in the Foundry had only confirmed for Varian the strength of his feelings, and more than ever he wanted to declare their relationship public.

"Varian, you know why we have to keep this secret," she said firmly, frowning. "Despite how we feel."

"I know," he said heavily, trying to convince himself as much as anyone. "I know. Though with that in mind... you should know that Khadgar knows. About us, I mean. And Kalec, and Laurena, and her apprentice. Shaw doubtless suspects, as do the agents who accompanied me to the Foundry."

"I figured they might, after everything that happened," she sighed, looking down at her hands. "I'm starting to feel like this is the worst kept secret on Azeroth."

"It doesn't have to be a secret," Varian suggested cautiously. "That's what I've been trying to say. You could claim your title, and allow me to court you properly."

Auriana bit her lip and considered him seriously.

"Varian… I… how would that even work? You couldn't court me openly if you wanted to!" she protested. "You're the King of Stormwind! I'm not a suitable match."

"How? You're a duchess," he argued.

" _Technically_ , though not in any formal capacity," she admitted, shaking her head. "I could choose to claim my title, but I've no lands or resources to bring to the crown."

"No resources? You're a war hero, and a military officer of significant status," Varian countered. "You command thousands of troops, and to great success, I might add. You've a loyal following in the Alliance, and you are respected by the Horde. Not to mention that you are an enormously powerful mage, and in good standing within the Kirin Tor. You might not have resources at your command, in the traditional sense, but there are few people who could bring me as much status and goodwill as you could."

Auriana opened her mouth to disagree further, but Varian could see that she had no real rebuttal to his argument.

"I… I am  _not_ a duchess, or a lady… or… or a queen..." she protested lamely, her voice wavering slightly.

For a second, Varian paused, an all-important question poised on the tip of his tongue. Auriana was barely breathing, and the tension in the air was so thick it could have been cut by a knife.

"Would you like to be?" he asked finally, somewhat surprised by his own boldness.

Auriana eyes went huge, and she pressed herself as tightly to the wall as she was able. Varian saw her legs tremble, and he reached out a hand to steady her.

"That's not funny," she whispered, paling slightly.

"I wasn't being funny," Varian said fiercely. "You know how I feel about you. I take this relationship very seriously, Auriana, and I don't want to keep hiding you away."

"I… Varian… I… I still need this to be a secret," Auriana stammered. "I'm trying, I promise you, but for now…  _please_..."

Varian noted that she had deliberately not addressed the  _other_  part of his statement, though he knew it had been a very great risk to say such a thing in the first place, given Auriana's well-known propensity to run from any kind of emotional entanglements.

"As you wish," he said stiffly, downplaying his own frustration. "You know I'd never reveal the truth our relationship without your permission. It was... merely a thought."

"Please understand that this has nothing to do with how I feel about you," Auriana said earnestly. "But… you're the King of Stormwind. That will  _always_  make this complicated."

"It's only as complicated as you make it, Auriana," Varian reminded her firmly.

He looked down at her intently, more serious than he'd ever been in his life, though he decided not to argue the point with her any further. Varian was determined to respect Auriana's wishes, despite his restless frustration, and he forced down his disappointment at her reaction. For her part, Auriana simply fell quiet, suddenly unable to meet his gaze, and they stood in silence for a long while before Varian finally spoke.

"Come," he said kindly, trying to break the tension as he offered her his arm once more. "I should escort you back to your room. I'm sure you're tired, and it will be dinner soon."

"Of course," she said slowly, taking his proffered arm. "And… thank you for your patience. I know I must be very frustrating."

" _Very_  frustrating," Varian agreed lightly, reaching out to gently touch her hand as he lead her back inside. "Though I rather think you're worth it..."


	31. Auriana

As the days passed by, Auriana slowly felt her strength returning, and she knew that it would soon be time to return to Draenor. The thought filled her with a creeping sense of dread, though her trepidation warred with her sense of duty and responsibility to her garrison, as well as her desire for vengeance against the orcs who had taken so much from her.

It was not an easy decision to return to Draenor, however, and she wrestled with it for some time. Miraculously, Auriana had withstood the Foundry with her mind and magic intact, but her survival had come at a great cost. Blackhand and his torturer may not have broken her, but her body and soul were most certainly bruised, and in her darker moments she had come to doubt whether she would ever be brave enough to stand on the front lines again.

Moreover, leaving for Draenor would meaning leaving safe, beautiful Stormwind behind, and with it, Varian Wrynn. Despite how it had started, her time in Stormwind had been unexpectedly unobjectionable, even pleasant, and she had been given a rare and precious glimpse into what life with Varian might really be like. Even with all her injuries and the pain of her recovery, Auriana had discovered that a life away from the front held far more appeal than she had ever expected. She had been sorely tempted to leave the horror and bloodshed of Draenor for the happiness of life in Stormwind several times, and yet somewhere deep down she knew she would never forgive herself if she walked away now.

It wasn't just leaving Varian, either. Much to Auriana's surprise, Anduin had become a regular fixture in her temporary quarters over the past few weeks, for which she was immensely grateful. Although she had been initially reluctant to see the Prince, horrified by the fact that she had threatened his life, Anduin had been quietly persistent, and she had eventually relented. He was fine company, and Auriana found that she could almost forget her trauma in his ebullient presence. The Prince soon became her primary source of amusement during the day, though of course her nights belonged to the King of Stormwind alone.

Auriana had used much of their time together continue Anduin's education on magical theory, though more often than not they had simply played games or traded witticisms. Most notably, Anduin had attempted to teach her the pandaren board game  _jihui_ , which demanded both patience and careful thought from those who played. Unlike most other games, however, the aim of  _jihui_ was for both players to win, and Auriana found the game incredibly frustrating and rather pointless. While Anduin was extremely skilled, she had never quite picked up the hang of it, and more often than not their games ended in impasse. Fortunately, Anduin seemed to find her poor skills somewhat comical, and he had a seemingly endless supply of patience when it came to her fumbling attempts to play properly.

They played again the day that Auriana finally resolved to leave for Draenor, though Anduin was not aware that it would be their last game for some time. Auriana had quietly arranged with Khadgar for transport back to her beloved garrison, and had kept her departure a secret from everyone save for the Archmage and her physician. High Priestess Laurena hadn't exactly been pleased by Auriana's intentions to return to Draenor, though after Auriana had assured her that she wouldn't immediately throw herself into a skirmish up on return, she had reluctantly given her blessing. She had also provided Auriana with very detailed instructions for Lunarfall's healers, so that she might continue her steady recovery.

Auriana had hoped to disappear without anyone noticing, save for Khadgar, though it was a decision she had questioned many times. It was cowardly, she knew, but she also knew that Varian would inevitably ask her to stay, and she didn't know whether she had the courage to deny him. Instead, she had intended to slip out while Varian was attending a meeting of the House of Nobles, only to have Anduin show up at her door, a  _jihui_ set tucked under his arm. He'd arrived around lunchtime, and given that Khadgar was not scheduled to arrive for another few hours yet, Auriana decided to put her plans to leave on hold for one final afternoon of simple fun with the Prince.

Anduin quickly set up the board on the small table that had been provided for just such an occasion, and soon they were deeply embroiled in a contemplative yet intense game. Auriana sincerely tried her best, wanting their last game to end on a high note, but after yet another abysmal attempt on her behalf, she finally threw up her hands in surrender.

"I just don't get this game," she exclaimed, in slightly exaggerated exasperation. "Why bother to play if you can't  _win_?"

"Not everything is about  _winning_ , Commander," Anduin said, with mock sternness in his voice.

His seriousness was somewhat belied, however, by the playful sparkle in his eyes, and the half-stifled smile on his lips.

"Says you," Auriana grumbled good-naturedly.

"I don't know if I told you, but I tried to teach my father  _jihui_ once," Anduin said casually. " _Once._  His reaction was much the same as yours, come to think of it, though you've at least shown a bit more patience."

"I've been stuck in the same bed for three weeks," Auriana pointed out. "I haven't had much of a choice."

Anduin laughed at that, his nose crinkling in amusement.

"You two are astonishingly similar in some ways, you know," he told her. "You and my father, I mean."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?" Auriana teased, folding her arms across her chest.

"Good question," Anduin mused, considering the question very seriously. "Though I rather suppose it depends on your point of view."

"Shall we say it's both?" Auriana suggested, grinning broadly.

"Very well," Anduin agreed, chuckling slightly. "It  _is_  true, however. You're both stubborn as mules, you could find a way to make afternoon tea competitive, and you both have the kind of eyes that always make you look as if you're hunting something."

"Maybe I am," Auriana suggested, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.

Anduin rolled his eyes at her dubious humour, and made to reset the board for another game.

"Another?" he asked. "You're a clever woman, Auriana, I'm certain I can teach you eventually…"

"Ah, no," Auriana said. "As much I'd like to, there are other things that require my attention this afternoon."

Her eyes darted towards the door, and Anduin's eyes narrowed in suspicion. He really was remarkably perceptive for someone so young, and Auriana knew there was no keeping the truth from him.

"You're going back to Draenor," he realised suddenly, his earlier enthusiasm vanishing in an instant. "I don't understand. How… how can you go back? After everything that happened?"

Auriana sighed. It was a question that she'd been asking herself for a while now, and even  _she_  didn't have a real answer.

"I… I have to go, Anduin," she said finally. "I don't expect you to understand, but I can't stay. I have a war to fight."

Anduin frowned, and he reached out a tentative hand to touch her own.

"Have you told my father?" he asked.

"No," Auriana said. "I was somewhat hoping to sneak out before he realised I was gone."

"You've got to be kidding," Anduin said flatly, giving her a very disapproving look.

Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Auriana smiled slightly to herself at the expression on the Prince's face. Anduin resembled his late mother far more than his father, but as he stared down at her reprovingly, he all of a sudden became the splitting image of Varian.

"To be honest with you, I'm not sure if I am," she said slowly. "I can't imagine that will be a pleasant conversation. He's going to fight me on it."

"Can you really blame him?" Anduin asked seriously. "You… you nearly died. It isn't unreasonable that he wants to keep you here."

"You sound exactly like him, you know," Auriana said, raising her eyebrows. "Though I'd wager that's the first time anyone's told you _that_."

Anduin smiled faintly at her gentle ribbing, but his youthful features soon fell into seriousness once more. He shifted his weight uncomfortably, and Auriana strongly suspected that there was something he wasn't telling her. Thus far, she had avoided discussing her torture with Anduin, save for her a hurried apology over their first game.

"What's wrong?" she said. "I expected this kind of objection from Varian, but not from you. I know you don't approve of war, but I thought you might understand why I need to leave. I have responsibilities."

Anduin ducked his head, suddenly unwilling to meet her gaze.

"You don't understand," he started slowly, "Auriana… you should know… when I healed you, I saw what was done to you. I saw everything."

Auriana inhaled sharply, her heart suddenly in her throat.

" _Everything_?" she whispered.

She wasn't so much concerned for herself, or her own dark secrets, but rather what consequences such knowledge would hold for Anduin. He was wise beyond his years, but still so innocent in so many ways, and she hated that he knew the truth of her torture and assault at the hands of Throk'gar.

"Yes," Anduin confirmed. "I… I don't know how you survived."

"To be honest, I'm not sure how I survived either," Auriana admitted quietly. "Anduin… I'm so sorry."

"Wait…  _you're_  apologising to  _me_?" Anduin asked, confused.

"It's bad enough that I had to live through it, but you… you're young. There are some things in the world that I would still keep from you, if I could," she said sorrowfully. "I hope… I hope it hasn't put you off healing… after seeing that."

"No," Anduin said quickly. "I… I won't pretend that I wasn't… shaken, but if anything it reminded me how important my work can be. I was wondering, though… are you… are you alright? I know we don't talk about it much, but if you're going to leave… I thought I should ask…"

"No," Auriana said truthfully, "But I will be. I'm tough, and I have good people around me. People like you."

She patted Anduin kindly on the arm, and he gave her a genuine, if sad, smile.

"Did… did you tell your father?" she asked worriedly, having very deliberately concealed the specific extent of her torture from Varian.

"No. It's not my story to tell," Anduin said simply. "Though I had wondered if you would."

"I can't tell him," Auriana said seriously. "Not for me… but for him. You know why I was taken, Anduin. The Iron Horde  _used me_  to get to him. If Varian… if Varian knew what really happened in the Foundry, he'd charge off to challenge Blackhand to single combat, or do something else equally foolhardy, and I couldn't live with myself if he did."

"His anger would be a terrible thing to behold," Anduin agreed ruefully.

"Then you understand why I can't ever tell him. He's so defensive when it comes to you and me, but it never occurs to him that he's the one who really needs protecting," Auriana continued. "He's the heart of the Alliance, and I will  _not_  have him risk his life on my account."

"I believe he thinks you are worth the risk," Anduin said slowly.

"I know," Auriana said softly, closing her eyes. "Which is why I must keep my secrets. At least until after this terrible war is over. Do… do you agree?"

Anduin considered the question thoughtfully, his expression measured and grave.

"Yes," he said finally. "We must protect my father, though I still don't understand why you must return to Draenor."

"For precisely that reason, Anduin. Blackhand threatened your father, as the Iron Horde war machine threatens all of Azeroth. I cannot let that stand," she said fiercely, some of her old fire kindling in her belly. "No matter what it costs me personally."

Anduin frowned, and scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"There are other options," he said distantly, his eyes almost seeming to look past her.

"You don't think Blackhand deserves to die?" Auriana wondered, very cognizant of Anduin's peaceful nature.

"I… I don't know," Anduin said, speaking very quickly now. "I know there are people - many people - who consider me weak for my beliefs, but I'm not sure anyone is beyond redemption. Even someone like Blackhand."

"We might have to agree to disagree on that point," Auriana said darkly, recalling Garrosh Hellscream, and Deathwing, and all the others who had done indelible damage to the peoples of Azeroth. "Though I certainly don't believe you to be weak. I'd even go so far to argue that your position takes considerably more courage to defend than mine. It's far harder to save a life than it is take one."

Anduin's eyes flicked back into focus, and he carefully studied her face.

"It's more than that, though…" Anduin said heatedly. "Even if I thought that Blackhand should die, I certainly don't believe that taking the Foundry is worth  _your_ life. You've given more of yourself for the Alliance than almost anyone I could name, and yet here you are, ready to rush headlong into a war… and for what?"

Auriana inhaled sharply, struck by Anduin's words as she realised the true root of his fears.

"You think that if I die, you'll lose your father," she said quietly.

"Do you disagree?" said Anduin painfully. "You yourself just argued that he'd be willing to throw himself at Blackhand at the mere thought of what was done to you - and you aren't wrong. How do you think he would react if you died? He's a strong man, but he's not made of stone. I think… I think losing you would destroy him."

Anduin suddenly looked very raw, no longer a wise young prince on the cusp of manhood, but a concerned boy terribly afraid for a beloved father. Auriana's heart twisted, and she finally gave voice to a thought that had been bothering her ever since she had learned of Blackhand's intent to trade her life for Varian's.

"I would stop," she said slowly, "Certainly… if you asked me. I would never stand between you and your father."

"What do you mean?" Anduin said warily.

"Your father was put at risk because Blackhand was willing to exploit our relationship. That wouldn't have been possible… if there wasn't a relationship to exploit…" Auriana said heavily.

She couldn't quite believe she was having this conversation with Anduin, of all people, but he had a way of getting her to talk without even really trying.

"Is that what you want?" he asked seriously.

"No," Auriana said emphatically, "But I would do it, if it would keep him safe."

"Except it wouldn't," Anduin countered. "You should have seen him, Auriana, when we thought you were going to die. I've only seen genuine fear on my father's face on one other occasion, after I was crushed by the Divine Bell. Whether you were involved with him overtly or not, he'd still care for you. He'd still fight to protect you."

Auriana paused, wondering what had really happened while she had been unconscious. Varian had given her the broad details, but it had always seemed to her as if he had been downplaying the true gravity of the situation.

"As usual, you've seen to the heart of things, Anduin," she said finally. "I would prefer to think that the good of our relationship outweighs the risk, but I wasn't sure if I was simply convincing myself of something that I desperately wanted to be true."

She bit her lip, and surprisingly Anduin reached out to grip her arm tightly.

"If you must go, promise me you'll be careful out there," he said worriedly, "And not just for my father's sake. I'm rather fond of you as well."

Auriana smiled, touched by Anduin's concern.

"You know… storming the Foundry with Lunarfall isn't exactly a suicide mission…" she said, in a lame attempt at reassurance. "There's a good chance I would survive an assault."

"There's also a good chance you wouldn't," Anduin said quietly. "People like to treat me as if I'm a child, but I can read a garrison report as well as anyone. I know that taking the Foundry is an uphill battle."

Auriana nodded in agreement. The Prince was quite correct, though she'd had a long three weeks of recovery to carefully plan her strategy.

"I had an idea about that, actually, though Varian isn't going to like it…" she said thoughtfully.

"What is it that I'm not going to like?" came a sudden booming voice from behind them, and both Anduin and Auriana turned to behold the King of Stormwind, his face set in a thoughtful frown.

"Varian!" Auriana exclaimed in surprise. "I thought… I thought you were meeting with the House of Nobles."

"I was," Varian said, looking carefully between Auriana and his son. "We finished earlier than I expected, and so I came here. What are you two talking about?"

"Er… I have to be… um… elsewhere," Anduin said quickly, practically flying to his feet. "Thank you for the game."

The Prince exchanged a quick look with Auriana, and she gave him a brief, thankful nod as he bade a hasty retreat from the room, clearly unwilling to be a part of the conversation that would inevitably follow. Privately, Auriana wished she could follow him, though she knew that talking to Varian was the right thing to do.

The King watched his son leave with a hawk-like scowl, before finally taking a seat in the chair that Anduin had vacated.

"What am I not going to like?" Varian repeated, tenting his fingers on the table.

His voice was light, but Auriana could see a grim concern building behind his eyes. She sighed, and for a brief moment she considered lying, before realising there was very little point.

"I'm going to back to Draenor," she said firmly, as much to herself as to him. "This afternoon, in fact."

"You most certainly are not!" Varian roared, leaping back to his feet barely seconds after he had sat down.

He towered over her, his face clouded with dark emotion, but Auriana would not be swayed.

"Are we  _really_  going to have this argument?" she said calmly. "What's the point? We're only going to end up at standoff... again. Sit down."

Varian didn't move, glowering down at her fiercely. If Auriana hadn't known his fury was borne of fear, she would have found the King of Stormwind entirely terrifying, but as it stood she knew him far too well to be truly intimidated.

"Varian, stop looming over me like an angry bear," she said, rolling her eyes. " _Sit down_."

He grunted in frustration, but nonetheless resumed his seat.

"How could you possibly want to go back?" Varian asked urgently, unwittingly echoing his son's earlier question.

"It's not about what I want to do, it's about what I  _have_ to do," she said.

Auriana reached out and stroked Varian's muscular forearms gently, as if it might offer him some consolation. He shivered slightly under her touch, and she suddenly felt like a fairy-tale maiden trying to soothe a wild beast.

"Varian…" she started slowly. "I'm going to admit something to you that I've been trying very hard not to admit even to myself… I'm… I'm afraid."

Varian leaned forward urgently, opening his mouth to speak, but Auriana squeezed his arm tightly.

"Please," she said. "Let me speak. I've never been afraid of battle, or of war. You know me, I love a fight… but Blackhand… Blackhand made me afraid, and I know that if I don't go back to Draenor now, I might  _never_  have the courage to do so."

"Would that really be so bad?" Varian asked. "To stay in Stormwind, with me?"

"No, not at all," Auriana said, smiling sadly. "That's the problem. It would be far too easy to stay here, to have this life… but I think I'd lose a part of myself in the process. An important part."

She rose gracefully to her feet, ignoring the slight twinge in her leg as she began to pace about the room.

"I'm a fighter, Varian," she said, trying to articulate her jumbled thoughts, "And as much as I know it vexes you, I also know that my fight is what you love about me. If I stayed in Stormwind I wouldn't be staying so much as running away. I'd lose myself. Blackhand would win… and I can't let that happen."

Wordlessly, Varian stood, crossing the room swiftly to pull her into his impossibly warm embrace. Auriana came to him willingly, tucking her head against his broad chest with a long sigh. Although her ordeal had made her quite fearful of being touched by others, Varian's strong arms had a way of quickly overcoming the twinge of fear she felt whenever someone reached for her.

"I understand, Auri… really, I do… but surely… you're still healing…" Varian murmured.

"I'm fit enough, and I don't intend to throw myself into a fight straight away," Auriana said. "But my responsibility to my garrison remains unchanged. The Alliance needs me more than you do right now."

"Impossible," Varian countered, cradling her close. "No one could ever need you as much as I do."

"This is who I am, Varian. This is  _all_  I am," she said, a slight note of pleading entering her voice. "And I need you to let me go."

Varian considered her very seriously, taking her face in both his hands. Auriana could clearly see that he was at war with himself, torn between his powerful instinct to keep her safe and his belief in the importance of her freedom. He looked tired and careworn, and Auriana was suddenly overwhelmed by guilt.

 _Why do people do this?_  she wondered.  _Why do people fall in love when it causes them so much pain?_

Of course, deep down she knew the answer, though she hadn't ever expected to experience such love in her lifetime. She would have walked through fire for Varian, and she knew that he was worth any pain the world had to offer.

"I've been thinking about this a lot, you know. I don't want to lose you, Auriana," he said slowly, his voice strained, "But… I understand why you need to go back, perhaps better than anyone. I know you need to face Blackhand, and as much as it kills me… I would never stand in your way, if it's what you really wanted."

He closed his eyes painfully, and Auriana could see how much the admission had cost him. His obvious turmoil stirred her very soul, and she knew then that she had to offer him the choice to walk away, no matter how much it might hurt her to do so.

"We could end this," she suggested thickly, her heart all but breaking. "If it would make it easier on you, I… I would let you go..."

Even before she'd finished the words, Varian's eyes had flown open, and he suddenly looked very alarmed.

" _No_ ," he growled fiercely. "It would  _not_ make it easier. You're mine, Auriana, and you will always  _be_ mine, whether we're in a relationship or not. I will not have this end, and certainly not on Blackhand's account."

His arms tightened around her protectively, as if he could physically shield her from the world.

"That said…" he added sternly, his heavy brow creasing with thought. "If this is going to work between us, I need to accept who you are. I need to accept that you are a fighter, as you say, and that you will sometimes be at risk as a consequence of your chosen career. But you also need to accept who  _I_ am. I  _am_ going to argue with you when you are being reckless, and at times I will be overprotective. I will never stop fighting to keep you safe, and you need to reconcile yourself to that. I can't change my fundamental self any more than you can, and while I will do my best… you're going to have to be patient with me. Can you do that?"

For a second Auriana was certain that she had misheard, so surprised was she by Varian's response. It seemed as if he really  _had_ been considering their conflict deeply, and he had finally decided to trust in her abilities. Moved, Auriana nodded emphatically, blinking back sudden tears, and buried her face into his chest. Encouraged, Varian wound his hands into her hair and breathed in deeply, as if trying to commit the scent of her to memory.

"Varian?" she murmured, overwhelmed by her own emotions. "I… I know I should have told you earlier, but… well… you know me. I… before I leave… I thought you should know… I… I love you."

"What?" he asked, turning her face upwards with gentle fingers. "Say it again."

"Varian…" she said, blushing lightly. "You know I'm not good at this… you heard what I said…"

" _Say it again_ ," he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. "Please."

"I… I love you," she repeated firmly, confused by Varian's insistence. "Really, I do… I… I don't know what else I can say to make you believe me..."

To her surprise, he suddenly brightened, and a slow, broad grin spread across his handsome face.

"I know you love me," he said gently. "I was just making sure you knew it, too. For a smart woman, you take an awfully long time to figure things out…"

Auriana opened her mouth to protest, but Varian lifted her slightly and silenced her with a bruising kiss. He held her close for a long time, gently exploring her mouth while his hands tenderly cupped her cheeks. Auriana didn't resist, knowing that it might be the last time he'd kiss her for a long while, and she vaguely wondered why she'd ever been so eager to leave without saying goodbye.

"Just… promise that you'll come home to me," he said eventually, his face growing serious once more.

"That's precisely what I intend to do," Auriana said determinedly, "And I'll be bringing Blackhand's head with me."

"Well, in that case, you'll need a plan to take the Foundry," Varian pointed out, releasing her from his crushing grip.

Auriana stood back and regarded Varian thoughtfully, more grateful than she could ever say for his support. She could see that it was hard for him to be openly encouraging of her return to Draenor, but he was trying, and that was what mattered.

"As I was about to explain to Anduin…" she started, "Mathias Shaw sent me the intelligence his agents gathered when you all came to rescue me. Based on your information, as well as my own, I have a good idea of the interior layout of the Foundry, and the best points from which to coordinate a siege."

"You lack numbers, however," Varian said gravely. "Since you've been here, Blackhand has had weeks to prepare his defenses. He knows you're coming."

"He'd be a fool to think otherwise," Auriana agreed. "But I don't intend to go it alone. I… I had thought to approach the Horde. Our Horde, I mean, from Azeroth…"

" _What_?" Varian said, his jaw tightening.

"The Horde Commander has saved my life twice now. I think he'd be amenable to a combined assault," she explained. "The Horde need Blackhand dead as much as we do."

"I'm grateful that he saved your life," Varian said slowly, "But there's a very big difference between him acting to spare you, and agreeing to a temporary accord. They're still the Horde, Auriana, and a single honourable troll does not a strong alliance make. How do you know they won't turn on you?"

"I don't, but we've worked together before, at the Siege of Grommashar," Auriana countered. "The Commander took a very big risk to join that assault on the scant information I gave him, but he came anyway. Why would he do that, if he wasn't willing to cooperate?"

"I will admit, that the Horde have honoured our ceasefire so far," Varian said begrudgingly, "But you can't trust them, Auriana. Not ever."

"I didn't say I trusted the Horde," Auriana said. "I'm not about to invite them for tea in Lunarfall, here, but I think I can put them to our advantage. With the Horde at our side, we'll have more than enough troops to storm the Foundry. Of course, I'd need your permission to make any official overtures to the Commander of Frostwall..."

She raised her eyebrows imploringly, but Varian looked less than moved.

"Are there other options?" he asked.

"We could delay, of course, and move more of our troops north, though we would risk losing our hold on other areas of Draenor. There are still pockets of orc resistance in Nagrand and Talador, as well as other dangers, and of course there is always the potential for the Iron Horde to move their troops by magical means," Auriana said thoughtfully. "We also can't forget that the Foundry is not only a stronghold, but a weapons factory. If we delay our assault, or engage Blackhand in an extended siege, our losses will be severe. We don't have the means to produce war machines on the same scale that the Blackhand can."

Auriana sighed.

"I also suspect time is against us," she added.

"Why is that?" Varian asked.

"I'm almost certain that there's something very wrong in Tanaan Jungle. Grommash Hellscream hasn't been seen since his brief appearance at the gates of Tanaan, and we've been unable to gather any intelligence from beyond the wall since our base was destroyed during your visit," Auriana explained. "I fear that if we wait to invade Tanaan, the situation will worsen beyond control, but we can't go up against Hellscream with Blackhand at our backs."

Varian began to pace around the room, rubbing a hand deliberately over his chin as he walked.

"You still have the issue of a traitor within Lunarfall," he said. "You said you'd had word from Master Shaw?"

"I asked one of the guards to contact him for me last week, I hope you don't mind. He gave me the intelligence gleaned from your assault on the Foundry, which has been of great use," Auriana confirmed, "Though he still doesn't know who sold me out to Blackhand."

"You'd be willing to go back out there, without knowing?" Varian said, his eyes narrowing shrewdly. "It could be anyone."

Auriana looked down at the floor.

"No," she admitted quietly. "It scares me… but I'm not sure I have a choice. As I said… we're running out of time. It could take months to find the traitor, and we've lost enough ground with me being out of commission. Shaw  _was_  able to confirm that Lieutenant Thorn and my bodyguard are loyal to the Alliance… as… as was Lieutenant Gale, the young officer who was killed by the Blackrock to lure me out."

Her voice caught as she recalled Gale's horrific death, and she could still faintly recall the feel of his shattered skull beneath her hands. He had died with her still believing that he was a traitor, and Auriana hadn't been able to shake a gnawing sense of guilt over his loss. Varian frowned as he noticed her sorrow and moved instantly to her side, placing a bracing hand on her shoulder.

"On balance, I think our best chance is for me to return to Draenor, and to coordinate our assault with that of the Horde. Blackhand won't be prepared to defend against a combined force," she said softly. "You know I'm afraid, but you know I wouldn't suggest this if I thought there was another way."

Varian closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

"You're asking a lot from me today," he said ominously. "First you tell me that you intend to leave for Draenor, and now you want me to trust the Horde. If it was anyone else but you, Auriana..."

"I'm not asking you to trust the Horde," Auriana said. "I'm asking you to trust  _me_."

Varian stared at her for a long time, unblinking. Auriana could practically see his mind turning over, calculating every possible outcome. She could also see that he sorely wanted to argue with her, but that he was an experienced enough commander to see the wisdom in her strategy.

"Fine," he grumbled finally. "Do what you must, Auriana, you have my permission. To that end, I will also send a missive of my own to Warchief Vol'jin… and I'll even be polite."

"Thank you," Auriana said sincerely. "Varian… I can't tell you…"

She was cut off by a sudden loud knock on the door, and the sound of a guard announcing the arrival of Archmage Khadgar.

"What's Khadgar doing here?" Varian asked curiously.

"He's here for me," Auriana explained, striding forwards to open the door.

Moments later, Khadgar swept into the room, bowing to Varian respectfully and smiling down at Auriana.

"Hello," he said warmly, looking between Varian and Auriana with interest. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"Not at all," Auriana said, though from the look on Varian's face it was clear he disagreed.

"Khadgar is here to teleport me back to Lunarfall," she added. "I'm not quite up to opening a portal on my own just yet."

"I see," said Varian flatly, folding his arms across his chest with a scowl.

"Don't look at me like that, Varian," Auriana said warningly. "I'm perfectly fine, and I have healers to attend to me at Lunarfall."

"And yet…" Varian said, gesturing to Khadgar.

"There's a very big difference between being well enough to return to my post, and being well enough to open an interplanetary portal," Auriana said drily.

"She's perfectly safe with me, Varian," Khadgar assured the King, placing a fatherly hand on Auriana's shoulder.

"I should hope so," Varian said darkly. "I'm placing Auriana under your protection while she's on Draenor, and I'll have your head if any further harm comes to her."

"Varian!" Auriana snapped, but Khadgar waved her off with a tolerant smile.

The Archmage had been around Varian long enough to know that his threat had not truly been serious, and he seemed entirely unperturbed by the King's harsh words.

"I will do everything in my considerable power to protect her, Varian," Khadgar promised. "You're not the only one who needs her alive."

Varian harrumphed in what might have been acceptance, if not precisely satisfaction, and strode over to gently grasp Auriana's shoulders one last time. He kissed her softly on the mouth, apparently heedless of Khadgar's presence. Auriana leant into him longingly, her resolve to leave crumbling, and she had to force herself to step away before she was so firmly entrenched in his arms that she would never leave.

"Auri… good luck," the King murmured heavily, touching her cheek one last time before he strode abruptly from the room without another word.

Auriana watched Varian's departing form wistfully, realising that it had taken him just as much strength to walk away from her as it had taken her to walk away from him. She let out a bittersweet sigh, before turning back to face the Archmage. Khadgar was smiling faintly, his bushy grey eyebrows raised somewhat suggestively.

"Not a word," Auriana warned him.

"I wasn't going to say anything," Khadgar said, raising his hands defensively.

"Oh please, Khadgar, we both know you're a gossipy old woman at heart," Auriana said drily, moving to gather her few personal effects.

It felt good to tease the Archmage, and more than anything else it helped to distract Auriana from what she was about to do.

"Can you blame me? Here you are, all quiet and unassuming, and yet next thing I know you've gone and seduced the King of Stormwind," Khadgar said.

"I hardly  _seduced_  him," Auriana argued, blushing slightly. "It just sort of… happened."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Khadgar prodded gently.

"Because it was  _supposed_  to be a secret," Auriana said quietly, "And for good reason, too."

She turned back to face him, cocking her head slightly to the side.

"You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"Of course not," Khadgar said seriously. "Your secrets are your own, Auriana."

"Thank you," she said appreciatively, still somewhat surprised by how willing people seemed to be to protect her relationship with Varian.

Auriana slung her pack of possessions over her shoulder, wincing slightly as she took the weight. Khadgar evidently noticed her discomfort, and offered to bear the burden for her, but she gently refused. Her muscles had atrophied slightly in the weeks she had spent in Stormwind, and she needed to start rebuilding them as soon as possible.

"Let's get out of here," she said firmly, "Before I change my mind. Or before Varian changes his."

"Am I taking you directly to Lunarfall?" Khadgar asked, as he began to gather his power.

"Yes, please," Auriana said, "Though afterwards I have a mission for you, if you'd be amenable."

"A mission for me?" he asked curiously. "What do you need?"

"You have contacts among the Vol'jin's Horde, do you not? I need you to speak with the commander of Frostwall Garrison, and propose that we storm Blackrock Foundry together," she explained. "If we're going after Blackhand, it's going to take everything we've got."

"You wish to ally with the Horde?" Khadgar asked, genuine surprise crossing his features. "I didn't think you were so… progressive."

"I don't love the Horde, Khadgar, but the time for petty differences has passed," Auriana said firmly. "We aren't fighting for Stormwind, or the Alliance, we're fighting for Azeroth. We will stand together, or die alone."

Khadgar smiled, a distinct hint of pride behind his eyes. Behind him, a portal flared to life, and through it Auriana could just about glimpse the familiar buildings of Lunarfall.

"I agree," the Archmage said seriously, "Though how on earth did you convince Varian?"

"I seduced him," Auriana said, her deadpan expression making Khadgar laugh. "In all honesty, though, he isn't incapable of listening to reason. He's pigheaded, but he isn't an idiot, and he's come a long way."

"As have you," murmured Khadgar thoughtfully, looking at her as if suddenly seeing her for the first time.

He gestured gallantly towards his portal, inviting her through. Auriana swallowed, her heart suddenly pounding in her ears as she gathered the courage to return to untamed Draenor.

"I will make contact with Frostwall immediately after I've returned you safely to Lunarfall," Khadgar assured her as she passed, "Though I am curious as to your strategy. What are you going to do, Commander?"

Auriana paused before she entered the portal, narrowing her eyes as she prepared to take the final step.

"What am I going to do?" Auriana repeated, her voice ringing with a determination that belied the frantic beating of her heart. "Khadgar… I'm going to win the war."


End file.
